The County would prefer for an LNG land terminal to be built on Krk island instead of a floating terminal.
Marko Boras Mandić, the Deputy Prefect of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, stated that the County strongly opposes the announced construction of an LNG floating terminal near Omišalj on Krk island. Even though the Government gave its approval and it has been public knowledge for months now, the County has only now stated they consider the project unacceptable, reported Novi list on October 16, 2017.
"We're back at the beginning – in spite of our master plan and two public debates that resulted in a conclusion that we're all advocating for a land terminal, now we're talking about a floating terminal again. The Government has basically annulled everything our citizens have been fighting for in the process", Mandić said.
He added that the master plan entails building a terminal that will be 300 metres long, 100 metres wide, and 17-storeys high. "This certainly means it will be more than visible, unlike in-ground storage tanks a land terminal would entail. It's also clear what kind of visual impression this will leave, as well as the noise effect, and I won't even begin to talk about the problem of cooling the sea water", Mandić stated.
He also warned about possible negative effects the project might have on the economy, considering that the company's headquarters will be operating in Zagreb. "They'll be making profit from the income tax, and we'll be the ones taking the risk", he said, adding that the Gorski Kotar region has to put up with hundreds of kilometres of gas pipelines and other similar fixtures. The region hasn't got anything [of value] from it, and is forced to ask the state for money. The same will happen to Kvarner in this case. The only thing to remain here will be the 11.000 kuna of utility fees that Omišalj Municipality will be collecting", he stated bitterly, continuing to share his dissatisfaction with the plan: "We can't shake the impression that, in the last 25 years, the state removed everything that had to do with industry from Dalmatia, which gets to keep the revenue from tourism, and we've only been given the pollutants. HEP hasn't switched to gas yet, Refinery Urinj is emitting weird black smoke, there are Plomin and Janaf as well, and now, the LNG floating terminal right in the middle of Kvarner. We don't want to take that risk", said Mandić.
Asked whether the County came to a certain agreement on the matter, he replied it did not, but added they did talk about this particular issue with Deputy PM Martina Dalić. "We're not against investments, on the contrary. But according to the conclusions from the public debate, those investments shouldn't include a floating terminal. We're taking three steps backwards – it could be there are certain land property issues, so resorting to the sea might just be an easier way out for the Government", Mandić concluded.
Translated from Novi list.
