Corona crisis won't halt major infrastructure projects, says minister

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Oleg Butković said in Dubrovnik on Wednesday that the financing of large-scale infrastructure projects was based on  European Union funds before the corona crisis and assessed that there would be no delays in their implementation.

"We have been hit by the corona crisis. The first revision of the (2020) budget shows a gap of half a billion kuna. I hope we will stay at this level until the end of this year. Transport, alongside tourism is hit hardest by the corona crisis," Butkovic said, citing the situation in companies including Croatia Airlines, Jadrolinija and the Hrvatske Autoceste motorway operator.

"We rely on European funds and the COVID fund and funds available to us," the minister said in Dubrovnik where he met with local authorities on the connectivity of the southernmost part of Croatia.

He noted that the project for the upgrade of Dubrovnik Airport had been completed and that the construction of Peljesac Bridge was underway, underscoring that the two infrastructure projects were worth about HRK 4.5 billion, and that money for that purpose was ensured from the European Union funds.

The meeting revolved around the plan to build a motorway section from the seaport of Ploce to Dubrovnik, which Butkovic estimated at HRK 9 billion.

(€1 = HRK 7.575970)

Text: Hina

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