Feet to Go Unsniffed As Croatian Law on Seaside Fun Gets the Boot

For sun-seekers on the Adriatic, this summer was not shaping up to be much fun.

Under new rules drawn up by the Croatian government, the beaches of Dalmatia and the dozens of islands were braced for an invasion by bureaucrats sniffing swimmers' feet for lack of deodorant, checking infants' nappies for the permitted design, inspecting bikinis to make sure the dress code was not violated, and banning men in boxers from the beaches. Oh, and no more relieving yourself in the turquoise waters.

The new regulations were due to be imposed from tomorrow for the summer season on the Adriatic. In the end, however, Dragan Primorac, the minister in charge of the tourism sector, got cold feet.

Under pressure from more senior figures in the government and from newspapers mocking his "Nazi tourism" strictures, Mr Primorac performed a swift U-turn, scrapped the rulebook, and said he was firing the official who came up with the idea.

The rules were drafted last month and were to come into force tomorrow. They included a ban on food or drink on the beaches, where cold beer, espresso bars, and ice cream vendors are currently a fixture.

Swimming in what remain some of the cleanest stretches of the Mediterranean was to be limited to 100 metres from the coast. "Inappropriate dress" was to be proscribed for the sun-worshippers who commonly parade in thongs or boxers.

"On the Mediterranean beaches, half of the girls are topless or in thongs. You can't be too strict," said Josip Lozic, director of the Croatian national tourist office in London. "The ministry will have to sit down and take a look at this from a fresh angle."

Mr Primorac has had a hard week, branded a control freak and made the butt of Croatian media ridicule. Although the new rulebook bore his signature, he insisted it had nothing to do with him. The signature was a facsimile.