Tonči Glavina has criticized Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia’s recent travel advisory, calling it unfounded. The Serbian ministry recommended that citizens travel to Croatia only “if absolutely necessary.”
Speaking in Zagreb, Glavina emphasized that Serbian citizens travel to Croatia for both tourism and work, noting that around 20,000 Serbian nationals work in Croatian tourism, ranking third among foreign workers.
He highlighted that Serbia’s citizens visit Croatia not only for economic reasons but also to enter the European Union and a country considered one of the safest in the world. Croatia is also described as a leading tourist destination with strong economic growth over the past three to four years.
Glavina noted that Serbian workers contribute significantly to multiple sectors, especially tourism, and that the number of Serbian tourists has been steadily increasing. He expressed confidence that the Serbian advisory will have little to no effect on visitor numbers.
The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia also emphasized that Croatia is a member of the EU, NATO, and Schengen Area, consistently welcoming millions of visitors annually. Despite this, the Serbian travel advisory categorized Croatia as “orange” due to unverified tensions, which the ministry described as a classic case of the “forbidden fruit effect,” often increasing tourist interest instead of deterring it.
Glavina humorously remarked that the supposed “tension” might simply be the choice between Croatia’s Adriatic coast and its continental wine regions.
