Pula referendum fails due to low turnout, allowing coastal development to proceed

Pula fell short on Sunday of becoming the first Croatian city to successfully hold a referendum as too few voters turned out to cast ballots on an initiative to block plans to allow development along a sea-side promenade known as Lungomare.

A dismal voter turnout of only 22.71% doomed the referendum to failure since a minimum of 50% of the electorate plus one vote was required.

An outcome in favor of changing the local zoning would have closed off the area to development, including a planned hotel. Some in the city see it an opportunity for economic development while others feared the city would lose a public space for sports and recreation that's been there since the 1960s. Neither side seemed to be motivated enough. However, had more people turned out the vote would have gone to opponents of development. The head of the city’s Electoral Commission, Igor Rakić, said that 88.55% of voters voted in favor of changing the General Urban Development Plan, the city’s main planning document, which had been altered to allow development on the Lugnomare. Only 11.45% of ballots cast were against changing the plan and allowing development to proceed.

A group of local activists gathered 11 thousand signatures in May of this year to oppose the construction of a hotel in Valkane being funded by a Serbian investor. The signatures were enough to petition for a referendum.

Lungomare is the last strip of coastline in the city that remains undeveloped. It is currently a promenade and park used primarily for sports and recreation.