“Islands are not a periphery but a strategic asset for Croatia,” said Prime Minister Andrej Plenković yesterday during a meeting of the Island Council that met yesterday on Korčula. He also pointed out that around 128,000 people live on Croatia’s 53 inhabited islands and cited the enormous contribution of islands to the growth of Croatia’s GDP. Namely, every fourth overnight stay in a tourist year is on one of the islands. He pointed out that so far, during the mandates of this Government, 4 billion euros have been invested in the islands and announced the establishment of the Council for Adriatic Croatia.
The islands are also a symbol of our history and our identity, Prime Minister Plenković emphasized. He also recalled the Baška Tablet, the birthplace of Marco Polo on Korčula, the cradle of European Renaissance drama on Hvar, and numerous other important historical heritage sites.
The government has already proven through its policies that the islands are a priority for it, Prime Minister Plenković stressed. He added that it will continue to strive to build a better legal framework, ensure more funds are available, and encourage and facilitate life on the islands.
He announced a new Law on Islands and a new Law on Regional Development.
In parallel with them, he added, negotiations are intensifying on the new Multiannual Financial Framework, or the European Union budget, for the period 2028-2029. – 2034.
The success of the balanced regional development policy
The policy of balanced regional development that the Government has been pursuing for the past nine years, he stressed, has certainly had its effects. This is evidenced by the results of the recent local elections, in which as many as 83 percent of local or regional self-government units remained of the same political color.
He particularly highlighted the success of fiscal and functional decentralization and the structured dialogue and partnership between central government bodies and local and regional authorities, along with the implementation of projects co-financed by state or European funds or other sources of financing.
He pointed out that so far, during the mandates of this Government, 4 billion euros have been invested in the islands, and he mentioned numerous infrastructure projects. From the construction of roads, to better traffic connections, the construction of ports, fishing ports, investments in education, healthcare, social welfare, tourism, water and communal infrastructure and many others that have raised the quality of life of the inhabitants of Croatian islands.
Contracts worth 31 million euros awarded
The meeting presented new opportunities for island development, sustainable housing for the future of islands, health care on islands, activities for the construction or reconstruction of smaller parts of public water supply and public wastewater drainage on islands, as well as island mariculture and the development of a sustainable blue economy on islands.
Ahead of the meeting, a series of contracts from the departments of regional development and European Union funds, as well as environmental protection and green transition, worth 31 million euros, of which 20 million euros are grants, were awarded.
The Council for Adriatic Croatia will be established
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković announced the institutionalization of a new format – the Council for Adriatic Croatia, modeled after, for example, the Council for Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem.
He explained that based on the extensive experience of the Council for Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem, which has channeled almost 4.5 billion euros to five Slavonian counties for more than eight years now, the Government decided to connect all seven Adriatic counties.
These counties, he added, have many similarities and connections that can be better addressed in such smaller formats and sectoral policies can be adapted to the real needs of the population in Adriatic Croatia.
So far, 150 million euros have been allocated to the Integrated Territorial Program exclusively for seven Adriatic counties.
“It is a large amount of funds and added value for the implementation of projects,” he said.
