Island Council held on Brač, attended by Prime Minister Plenković

The 1st session of the Island Council was held in Postir on Brač, focusing on the development of Croatian islands and key infrastructure projects.

This is a body that proposes measures, projects, plans and programs for the development of our islands and improving the quality of life on them.

In addition to island representatives, several ministers, led by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, also participated in the meeting.

Among the main topics were improving maritime connectivity, investments in water and utility infrastructure, fisheries and the electricity grid. Special emphasis is placed on strengthening infrastructure on the islands, which experience a multiple increase in population during the tourist season.

The meeting also covered shipping lines and the availability of healthcare, which stand out as some of the most important issues for islanders.

Ahead of the session, 101 contracts were awarded by the Ministry of Regional Development and European Union funds worth a total of EUR 7.6 million, intended for health and water and utility infrastructure projects. The government has invested more than 4 billion euros in the islands in its previous mandates.

Plaques were also awarded to producers of island products.

“Each island is in some way its own specific story, however, there are also some common challenges that they face. There is certainly a connection, resilience to climate change, or investments that are also needed in fire prevention and protection. Water supply and drainage are certainly one of the topics that are common to all islands. These are all segments that we work on and invest in precisely through the programs that we make available,” said Nataša Mikuš Žigman, Minister of Regional Development and European Union Funds.

“Regardless of the subjective impression of life on an island, which each of us, including the islanders themselves, may have differently, the objective fact is that today's standards have been significantly improved compared to 10 years ago. If, as is human, over the years we take it for granted and we all forget what it was like to live on islands,” said Danica Baričević, envoy of the Croatian Parliament Speaker and member of the Island Council.

“Today, 127,000 people live on the islands in Croatia. Their uniqueness and development potential are such that they require targeted policies and specially adapted development instruments. When compared to other European countries, we are among those that have been developing a special island policy for almost a quarter of a century, both through the legal framework and through strategy and through financing through special measures. We have 52 inhabited islands and they certainly deserve a special place in our regional development policy,” said Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

Source: HRT