The Croatian Parliament recently enacted amendments to the Trade Act, granting local authorities the power to restrict or entirely ban the sale of alcoholic beverages during specific nighttime hours. These new provisions allow municipalities to implement measures controlling alcohol availability between 9:00 PM and 6:00 AM. In this context, the Makarska City Council took decisive action by adopting an order on Tuesday, establishing the city as the first in the country to introduce such a regulation.
The newly implemented order prohibits the retail sale of alcoholic beverages across various commercial outlets, including shops, bakeries, and traffic agencies, during the specified overnight hours. It is important to note that while the opening hours for general shops remain unchanged, this specific restriction does not apply to restaurants. Oversight of the measure will be conducted by inspectors from the State Inspectorate to ensure adherence to the new municipal order.
The stated objective of the regulation is to manage and prevent the distribution of alcoholic beverages within the boundaries of the city during late hours. This legislative change provides a framework for local governance to directly influence the timing and location of alcohol sales. By passing the order, Makarska has set a precedent for how other coastal towns and urban areas in Croatia may approach regulating retail commerce and public safety through local ordinance enforcement.
The measures underscore a shift toward localized control over commercial trade hours.
Topics: #sale #first #city
