While the public international tender for investments and strategic partnerships for the ABA League basketball club closed without offers, Deputy Mayor Kuzmanić does not accept his defeat and wants to try again in spring.

September 17, 2022 - The City of Split announced on its facebook page yesterday: "Despite the unofficial announcements and expressed interest, no official offer was received after the deadline for the international public call for investment in K.K. Split and the selection of a strategic partner."

Mayor Puljak (left) and Deputy Mayor Kuzmanić presenting the tender in August (Photo: Grad Split)

Deputy Mayor Antonio Kuzmanić who claims there were talks with -according to rumors up to four- interested parties did not admit to having made any mistakes: "We are not discouraged by this outcome considering the circumstances of the short deadlines and the fact that the contract cannot be concluded or consummated until the beginning of this competition season.  We will make additional efforts to attract potential partners and repeat the public call in the spring. We believe that when the objective circumstances are removed, the interested parties will formalize the offers and that we will get a quality solution for the club's future." 

Mayor Ivica Puljak who co-presented the tender together with his deputy in August did not stop his colleague from executing the poorly prepared, heavily flawed and quite ridiculously naive publication. The tender did not only have no chance to attract investors but has also put a spotlight on the heavy lack of competence of Mayor Puljak and his team in the matter and has further damaged the image of the historic basketball club formerly known as Jugoplastika Split. So it is quite understandable that the mayor's name was neither mentioned in the press release nor has he commented on the matter publicly. Instead the city's press release points out that Deputy Mayor Antonio Kuzmanić is responsible for the implementation of this process in front of the city.

Until such a tender will have any chance of success in the future, a lot of work will need to be taken care of within the basketball club whose last trophy was won in 2004 and that since then has been amassing debts without being able to monetize on any player sales. To the club's history of mismanagement and problems in finding potent sponsors, the responsible politicians have now added the new category of failure to find investors and strategic partners.

Has K.K. Split been sold? Nobody seems to know & nobody seems to care (EDITORIAL)

15.09.2022 - Yesterday, at 15:00, the tender to buy basketball club K.K. Split's shares from the City of Split ran out. The result is still unknown. Rumors are that there has been no response. TCN has asked for official feedback.

Mayor Puljak (left) and Deputy Mayor Kuzmanić presenting the tender in August (Photo: Grad Split)

Mayor Puljak's PR speaker replied that she has no authorized info on the topic. Deputy Mayor Kuzmanić didn't reply to two emails. The clubs' PR speaker and director have replied that they have no knowledge and referred back to the City of Split as the only official source.

So instead of news, today we have Part 2 of Burak Canboy's editorial where he answers a few questions that the initial editorial has caused and adds his opinion on the recent developments..

Here is the link to Burak Canboy's previous editorial on the topic. 

Dear Basketball Fans and readers from all around the world. Many thanks for giving me feedback, both critique and support on my first editorial regarding the sale of K.K. Split.

Yesterday, the tender to invest into K.K. Split ran out. More than 24 hours later, nobody seems to know the results. And, nobody really seems to care either as there have been no news on the topic today and social media seems to be paused. If you have read my first opinion on the topic, it shall come as no surprise why I think there is no big interest in the tender. It was just prepared way too unprofessionally. 

Like the City of Split after the tender: Roko Ukić with his hands empty and his head down. (Photo: Burak Canboy)

Let's say you want to sell your car on Njuškalo, you would wash it first, clean it on the inside, take nice pictures, write down all extras and even list the problems if you are a fair sales person. But Mayor Puljak and Deputy Mayor Kuzmanić, seem to have thought that while that is necessary for selling any car for only several thousand Euros, it would be enough to say that the city has a "historic basketball club for sale" and that investors from all over the world would run to Split in masses at the opportunity to buy a basketball club for millions of Euros, without even knowing what that would mean. No sales presentation, no numbers, no concept, no plans, no ideas. No realism. No professionalism. No offer. No surprise. 

The saddest part is that this makes the club even harder to sell now. But maybe the Dynamic Duo of Puljak and Kuzmanić were not even looking for a sale. Maybe all they wanted was to have an excuse to close the club? 

While we can all think about that, I would like to use the opportunity to address the following topics that most people didn't agree with me on or that may have been misunderstood in my initial editorial. 

The very big majority of  people thanked me and told me that I was 99-100% right. Since I believe in always striving for 100%, here are my explanations to the most asked questions and some forum questions that were forwarded to me:

1. How can the name not be worth a single Lipa? It is a great name that is globally known. It must be worth a lot of money. 

I did not write that the name is not worth anything. I wrote that the club in the current condition, is not worth anything. On the contrary, I believe that the name is still globally very well known. It is one of the club's few assets. I just believe that all the current problems and the known and unknown debts in my opinion are larger than the value of the brand. Unfortunately, as so many things with the club also the name is not really owned by the club. If you refer to just "K.K. Split", then of course, it belongs to the club. However any club can call itself something similar. K.K. Adriatic Split, K.K. Dalvin Split, etc. So any basketball club in Split is allowed to be called "K.K." and "Split". This dilutes the value of the brand for an investor. If you are referring to the name "Jugoplastika",  which is what most people abroad recall the big name as "Jugoplastika Split" it gets even more complicated because it was not the name of the club but it was the name of the sponsor (like "POP84", "Slobodna Dalmacija" and "Croatia Osiguranje" later which were also all sponsors and obviously own the rights to their own names themselves. I am not sure if K.K. Split even legally owns any rights to the name "Jugoplastika". Like so many things in Croatia, now nobody says anything when the club uses the name because currently there are only Croats involved and no money is to be made, but I wouldn't be surprised if somebody appears out of nowhere claiming to own all the rights to the name "Jugoplastika" and wants to be paid, as soon as a new investor has signed all papers, paid the money and starts to use the name. So, like I wrote, it is a tricky question how to value that, but as an investor, if in doubt, you better go with a lower valuation due to the unclear ownership situation. And now you have a combination of unknown value of a name and unknown debt situation of an organization that stays alive for many years only due to taxpayers' money spent, so that's why I say the club is currently not worth a single Lipa.

A club icon of long past, better times: Hall of Famer Toni Kukoč (left) in 2021 with Director Edo Blažević (Photo: Burak Canboy)

2. What is the value of the concession for the gym? It can surely not be zero.

I did not give a definite value regarding the concession of the gym. When reviewing the concession in 2014 it was clear that the City of Split had used it originally as another creative way to fund the club. I am not sure if the old concession has been changed or is still in place. All I recall about that was that the value of the concession was somehow estimated by some expert and the city used that value as some basis for the amount of shares it received from the club. I also remember that the value stated in the expertise seemed ridiculously high to me and I thought that the city may have used this method of funding to control all other shareholders. Anyways, today I cannot say anything about that and that's why I wrote that the value depends on the condition of the hall (which is terrible), the contracts with tenants (which are probably old and not very high) and which obligations the city will have in the future in regards to renovations and maintenance. As you see, we always come back to how the city is funding the club and how much it will do so in the future. If the gym was owned by the club, then you could say that it is an asset for which you can have an appraisal issued and I might even come to the conclusion that the value of the club is more than zero, if the debts are not too high. Since the club does not own the gym and since the details of the concession are not disclosed, I prefer to stay  conservative on any value it may have. 

Deputy Mayor Kuzmanić (center) together with his biggest problems. (Photo: PR; KK Split)

3. K.K. Split is now playing in ABA League and playing for titles in Croatia, how can the club be worth less than in 2014?

Well, first of all, along with playing in ABA League and playing for titles in Croatia, the debts of the clubs are growing and with that the dependency for the city to pay for cost. Despite the additional TV airtime, there is no trikot or naming sponsor to cover the extra costs. Also, the administration in 2014 was actually a good situation for an investor. It was 100% clear what the debts are, who will get how much and when. Back then, due-diligence was easily performed within just a few days because director Metod Šolto had all books and all numbers openly lying on his table every day. All numbers and payments were verified/controlled by the administration rules. I would not at all be surprised if today not even the supervisory board of the club knows the exact financial situation of the club. So today there is a much higher risk for potential investors to be confronted with people claiming to have the rights to be paid by the club for something. They may even have the right to come forward years from now.

Back in 2014, as insolvency was obvious, the value of the club was already zero and the only reason why the club was not dissolved was because the city agreed to cover the outstanding debts and pay for the club's future activities. Just like today, if the city is not covering part debts and warrants for future expenses, the value of the organization is again zero. For these reasons I think that today, the club is also not worth more than nothing.

Dominik Mavra: Few months ago succesfull with KK Zadar at Gripe, what teammates will he have in Split this season? (Photo: Burak Canboy)

4. Why should Kuzmanić be lying about other potential investors?

How do I say that Kuzmanić is lying about potential other investors? How should I even know that? All I am saying and thinking is that the city (that means him especially because he is the man in charge) is not acting professionally in this matter. If you have no own strategy for the club, if you cannot present the assets and problems of the club honestly and openly, if you only give an interested party 3 weeks for due-diligence for such a complex problem, then this is not something that I personally find professional business behavior. Since we are in Croatia and since Croatian politics have a history of not acting transparently, it is only safe to assume that the only alternative to this unprofessional behavior may be that something bigger is being dealt with in the background and that K.K. Split may be being used as part of such a background deal. I hope both for the club and the city that some big investor will come who believes 100% in this club and has no other intentions than to renovate this club, but how likely is that right now after what is being said by Kuzmanić?

Quite honestly, the request of 1 EUR pre-emptive rights for the city is the stupidest thing I have ever heard in my 30 years of business life. How can anyone believe that an external investor will come, spend time, effort, connections and a lot of money to make this club valuable again, if the city has a right to say: "Thank you very much for taking this big problem we have had, a club that was not worth anything and has only cost us money, thank you for taking this problem from our hands. Thank you for making K.K. Split a wonderful, successful and profitable club again. Now here is 1 EUR, so you can go home again with nothing!" Really???? This also makes the mayor (who I respect btw), appear unprofessional, just by standing next to him without objections while this is presented.

How can a club with tradition but no future become a club of the future with a long tradition? (Photo: Burak Canboy)

5. Is it true that back in 2014 you only wanted to realize a real estate project on Gripe but were not allowed to. Is that why the deal didn't work out? Are you out for some kind of revenge because you still want to, but don't have enough money to buy the club now.

I have never made a secret about having been disappointed that the deal didn't work out in 2014. If I remember correctly, my answer to the first question at my press conference in Hotel Park was something like "I would be lying if I said that I am not disappointed." 

Back then unfortunately it only became clear to us very late in the process that the Baldasar administration was only trying to find an investor to realize a huge real estate project on Gripe. We found out only very late that the main goal was that an investor should take the burden of K.K. Split in return for realizing an approximated 40-100 million Euro project. I had no interest to be involved in such a deal and we as a group who had prepared our offer needed to stop our efforts because we were all 100% about basketball and nothing else. So, I think it is unfair to say I am out for revenge. I wish the club and the people of Split nothing but the best. It is just my personal belief that things need to be named as they are. I don't think that Puljak's and Kuzmanić's latest stunt will help the club but are actually making things worse.

When it comes to my financial situation, it is safe to say that I never had enough money in my life to invest it into basketball, but it has never stopped me from doing it anyways :-)

Let's hope again that the people in charge in Split will one day smarten up and understand that even the famous Aladdin had to first start rubbing the lamp before expressing his wish very clearly and precisely and he still had to do that work even though he already had the unlimited cosmic magical powers of the genie on his side. For all normal people without three magic wishes, it means that if you want to find an investor for the club, you will need to work hard like everybody else to create something valuable first, then you can think about achieving a return from selling it. Or maybe it is better that you just throw the magical lamp away and maybe someday, somebody will find it and decide to rub it really well, until it's magic reappears. 

For further reading: 

i. A sample mission & vision for the club was already gifted to the club and the city in 2014. Look for yourself how much of it has been adopted and how much more needs to be done before you can call the club valuable: KK Split Mission & Vision 2014

ii. Hrvoje Frančeski's thoughts on Croatian Basketball "We Have Nothing". It is written in Croatian but worth translating, if needed

The views of the author are not necessarily the views of TCN.

April 8, 2022 - The City of Split announced a brand new electronic music festival this summer led by Alda Croatia and Insomniac, which will bring leading names in the electronic and international music scene to the Žnjan area of the city. 

Big music projects were announced to the public today by the largest international production company, Alda, and the organizer of major world events, Insomniac, which will take place this summer on the Adriatic, specifically in Pula and Split. According to the organizers, over 150,000 visitors from around the world are expected in the Adriatic thanks to these events, reports the City of Split. 

In addition to "Secret Project Presents Pula Music Week", another big music event has been announced that will take place this summer in Split. The organizers have remained secretive about the details, dates, and performers for now. Still, after the press conference, it could be unofficially heard that some of the most popular stars of today's music scene will perform in Split.

According to Alan Harderberg, head of Alda, and Baggi Begovic, Insomniac's director for Europe, Croatia will host some of the leading names in the electronic and international music scene in Pula and Split this summer.

"When it comes to the event in Split, we will not give details yet, but we can confirm that the domestic and international public will be pleasantly surprised. In any case, Split is expecting a spectacle that has never been seen before in our country. All details are organizationally known and contracted. The music event we are preparing will be extremely attractive, primarily because of the performers. This will surely bring Croatia into the focus of music audiences globally," said Harderberg and Begovic.

The Deputy Mayor of Split, Antonio Kuzmanić, expressed satisfaction that the citizens of Split and tourists will receive another world-famous music event.

"Thanks to investments and our popular tourist product, Split has become one of the most attractive tourist destinations. Today, Split is synonymous with a complete tourist destination that offers rich cultural, sports, and entertainment content in addition to exceptional natural benefits. Great music events like this put us on the world tourist map and are valuable marketing and economic potential that we will surely know how to use. With this event, we are reviving the area of Žnjan and announcing its new development phase, which makes me even happier," said Kuzmanić. 

For more, check out our lifestyle section. 

March 19, 2022 - The Split City Administration building has no place in one of the city's most attractive locations. While many Split mayors had the same conclusion, Ivica Puljak assures that he has a plan for change. 

The plan is to convert Banovina, and the city officials will move to a building that has not been built yet, reports RTL.

Banovina could become a hotel in a few years. Serious plans are being made to move the Split City Administration building from the attractive location along the West Coast.

Split Mayor, Ivica Puljak, says:

"The city administration has no place in the attractive location of the West Coast and that is why we have made a plan for the conversion of Banovina. We believe that this location can be used much better for a hotel or other commercial content that will generate funds, and with the money that the City will earn from long-term rent, we will cover the cost of building a new, more favorable building for Split administration.

Detailed plans will be fully completed by the end of the year so that we can start construction next year and move to a new building in two years at the latest.

I call on all state and local institutions to move out of locations that can be much better used for another activity from which revenues can be generated. Banovina would be leased on a long-term basis, and the money would be used to build a new city administration building," Puljak said on his Facebook page.

Dražen Pejković from the City of Split Department of Urbanism said:

"It seems to me that this is the first example in Croatia when, moving from one attractive location to one that is less attractive, and putting this attractive one in a special tourist function, justifies the entire financial construction."

Most citizens have nothing against the plan. The Croatian Fraternal Union Square near the court and the police administration is a location chosen by some citizens, answering the question of where it would suit them to have a new city administration building.

"Well, let's say there is a court that would put all those buildings in one place. When a person needs to go to Banovina, to the court, that would be ideal," replied one Split local. 

This is exactly the location for which the preliminary design will be done, and it is predicted that it would cost around 120 million kuna. Relocating the city administration building was also a wish of Puljak's predecessors. 

For more, check out our lifestyle section 

March 5, 2022 - Split Mayor Ivica Puljak attended an online meeting with the developers of the Green City Action Plan Split - European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and local and international consultants involved in drafting the Green City Action Plan Split (GCAP).

On that occasion, he pointed out the advantages of cooperation with the EBRD in developing such and similar "green" projects for the city of Split. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of drafting and implementing the plan in the context of improving the quality of life, environment, and climate change.

The City of Split joined the Green Cities program in October 2020, and the development of the GCAP officially began in April 2021. More than 40 European cities have been supported through the EBRD's Green Cities program since 2016, and a vital part of the program is the development of the Green City Action Plan (GCAP).

GCAP is tailored to the city to improve the quality of the environment and resilience to climate change and the well-being of citizens. GCAP achieves this by identifying, prioritizing, and linking the city’s environmental challenges to sustainable infrastructure investments and policy measures. To this end, the development of the GCAP is an inclusive process, while the Technical Expert Group (TEG) is key to its success.

The online discussion also served as an introductory meeting of the Technical Expert Group representatives with the GCAP developers. TEG members are appointed by representatives of various institutions, companies, and associations in the city of Split to give their expert contribution in the fields of environmental protection, urban infrastructure, economy, climate resilience, smart city, and other related industries relevant to the development and drafting a quality document. Through their inputs, members of the Technical Expert Group participate in crucial planning processes, including workshops and focus groups, and setting priorities and strategic objectives.

The GCAP will build on existing city plans and strategies to identify practical measures to improve the city that can be implemented over the next few years. In this context, GCAP will be harmonized with the "Strategy for the Development of the City of Split until 2030". Furthermore, the wide range of GCAP will help the City develop activities that provide multiple benefits in different urban sectors and attract financial investors who invest in green and sustainable investment projects.

GCAP is being developed with the support of donors TaiwanBusiness - EBRD Technical Assistance Fund.

Source: Grad Split

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

February 26, 2022 - After Zagreb, Pula, Varaždin, and several other Croatian cities, a Split urban garden is finally coming to fruition.

The initiative launched by the Pametno for Split and Dalmatia party in 2020 is being implemented at the location they proposed from the beginning, at the Turkish Tower, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

According to this party, Mayor Ivica Puljak recently issued a Conclusion which will turn a part of the land owned by the City, with an area of 4,325 m2, into an urban garden, all within the Pilot Project RU: RBAN, URBACT III Second wave which the City of Split is implementing with the Association for Permaculture.

"We have found a city plot of land around the Turkish Tower which will be used for an urban garden within this project. Our fellow citizens will be able to plant fruits, vegetables, and other desired crops without the need to go out of town. This is how you can live in an apartment, and at the same time cultivate a part of the land and in that way contribute to the household budget and joy at home, which is indispensable when you pick your own salad, chard, and other things. While we are waiting to plant the first vegetables at Turkish Tower, we will continue to push for urban gardens in other parts of the city, for which we are looking for ways and locations," said Branimir Urlić from the Pametno for Split and Dalmatia party.

"We are proud that our long-advocated idea is finally being realized. Just like we announced in the election program, Split is a green and wooded city in which our fellow citizens spend their free time in the open air. This urban garden is another step closer to realization," concluded Kristina Vidan, president of the Pametno for Split and Dalmatia party.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

February 24, 2022 - The City of Split, as the majority owner, has applied for funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan for the Poljud Stadium renovation.

Poljud Stadium, a symbol of Split that has hosted some of the most spectacular football matches of Hajduk and the Croatia national team, has adorned the city under Marjan since 1979 when it was built for the 8th Mediterranean Games. However, this spectacular shell near the sea is in dire need of an upgrade, which is fortunately in the plans. 

Namely, according to the latest analysis, the renovation of the Poljud stadium costs around 148 million kuna, and the City of Split, as the majority owner, has applied for funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, writes Dalmacija News. As a result, the roof and concrete reinforcement of the Split beauty will be restored. If the City fails to receive support from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, funds will come from ITU mechanisms or other European Union financial instruments.

"The city of Split will have to intervene urgently in some parts of the stadium, regardless of the grant, and we will have to provide some funds in the rebalance," Split Deputy Mayor Antonio Kuzmanic told Dalmacija News.

"The amount is too large for the City of Split to invest on its own. We have both Plan B and Plan C, which might still delay the renovation a bit. As you can see, we are not standing on only one option. We are considering and preparing all variants," said the Deputy Mayor, claiming that the renovation of Poljud is one of the critical projects for the City. 

"In any case - we are ready for all situations, and we are ready for all adjustments to the financing model," the deputy mayor of Split concluded in an interview with Dalmacija News.

Recall, Hajduk has surpassed 50,000 members and could soon break the record from 1985, when there were 53,000. A fit stadium to hold its beloved fans has never been more needed. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

ZAGREB, 20 Feb 2022 - The 22nd edition of Split marathon will take place on 27 February, and about 2,750 runners from 40 countries are expected to participate, organisers said last Wednesday.

"Preparation for the 22nd Split marathon are nearing completion," the president of the marathon's organising committee, Kristijan Sidik, told a press conference.

He said that he was proud that the continuity of the Split marathon hadn't been lost even during these challenging times, which was a rarity in the world.

Split Mayor Ivica Puljak said that the marathon had become an event of strategic importance for the development of the city of Split, calling it a unique sporting and tourism event that promotes all those values which they are known for and which they are proud of.

He said that the City of Split, its services and utility companies would provide their maximum support to make the organisation flawless and to make the competitors coming to the city feel welcome.

"The marketing and tourist potential of the marathon is exceptional, the athletes are also our guests, and in the future we will strengthen the brand of Split as a city of sport and sportspeople even more," said Puljak.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

January 29, 2022 - "The project's visual identity is inspired by lines that represent somewhat chaotic directions of movement, roads, and shortcuts inside Diocletian's Palace, while the slogan highlights a whole new story within the old town." A look at the Palace of Life, City of Changes visual identity. 

Palace of Life, City of Changes, is a project in which the Old Town Hall on Split's Pjaca (Narodni trg) was renovated, followed by the renovation of the courtyard and ground floor of the Split City Museum (MGS), which will become accessible to people with disabilities by installing an elevator. Through this project, the southeastern tower of Diocletian's Palace with the Lukačićeva 5 building will be reconstructed and presented to the public, reports the City of Split.

"The project co-financed the renovation and equipping of five buildings, which will provide a unique insight into the invaluable cultural heritage of the historic center of Split and the introduction of new content and presentations of space that have been neglected for years. In addition, the old town hall has been renovated following the latest needs of modern exhibition space. Project documentation is being prepared by Office Vojnović d.o.o. based on which work will soon begin on the above facilities," said Radojka Tomašević, Head of the Service for International and EU Projects, who heads the project implementation team by the City of Split in cooperation with partners - Split Tourist Board and Split City Museum.

Split studio Kazinoti & Komenda designed and created the project's visual identity. Karlo Kazinoti and Mišo Komenda have already been recognized for their quality and memorable design solutions to numerous cultural projects, but this is undoubtedly the most significant Split project they have worked on. The set task resulted in a dynamic identity of pronounced color in which they summed up the directions of movement through the countless streets of Split's historic core:

“The design was created as a reduction of the palace to four squares, i.e., towers, while the walls were completely erased to suggest openness and metaphorically depict life spreading outside the palace. The lines as a formative element are inspired by the somewhat chaotic directions of movement, roads, shortcuts inside the palace created by life within the walls. In the end, we see a similar network of intertwined directions when looking at the sky because of the clothesline (tiramola)," explained Kazinoti & Komenda.

The extended function of this design allows the grid of lines to be applied as a graphic pattern or framed within a given format as needed. The font Spalat by prof. Nikola Đurek and the project's name were accompanied by the slogan "Old Split. New Story."

“The goal was to communicate the novelties in the palace, i..e., the old part of the city, but the specificity is that these 'novelties' are centuries-old heritage, so we drew a parallel between the old and the new. We are erasing the border between them because part of the unknown heritage, which, together with many visitors, will be revived only now and become - new," explained Karlo Kazinoti.

Thanks to investments through the Palace of Life project, the citizens of Split will get a new perspective, the opportunity to enjoy the view of the city from the eastern wall of Diocletian's Palace and from the terrace of the Southeast Tower, which will house the interpretation center and exhibition space. Since its opening, the old town hall has attracted visitors of all generations with an excellent exhibition "Judita 500". At the same time, the Split City Museum on the ground floor and renovated courtyard of the Papalić Palace will receive a new, modernized exhibition that will provide visitors with a completely new experience of old stories.

Palace of Life, City of Changes, is one of the most significant investment projects in the restoration and revitalization of the cultural heritage of Split in more than 60 years, more precisely since the opening of Diocletian's cellars. The project also includes the development of the Old Town Management Plan and the Visitor Management Action Plan. The total estimated value of the project is HRK 25.4 million, of which HRK 18.2 million is a grant from the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund.

For more, check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

January 27, 2022 - Split area public bike system (Split, Solin, Trogir, Kastela, Podstrana, Klis, Dugopolje, and Dicmo) will receive 41 new stations with a total of 242 bicycles!

Representatives of cities and municipalities from the Split Urban Agglomeration area and project partners in the "Choose a bike!" project held a working video meeting on preparations to implement the public bicycle systems. As it was said at the meeting, the first deliveries of bicycles by the project partner "Nextbike" will follow in February, and preparations to install bicycle stations and power connections at other locations are underway, reports Grad Split.

The work on installing terminals in the whole urban agglomeration should be completed in the next few months. The first functional stations would be located in the Podstrana area, and the locations are already ready to receive bicycles. It was pointed out that most of the new contingent of bikes is planned to be set up in the Marjan Forest Park area and the city's outskirts. The construction and marking of bicycle roads in the Trogir area are expected to be completed by the middle of the year at the latest. As part of the activities of this integrated project, the City of Split and seven partners - cities and municipalities from the Split urban agglomeration (Solin, Trogir, Kastela, Podstrana, Klis, Dugopolje, and Dicmo), will receive 41 new stations with a total of 242 bicycles. In short, from the beginning of summer, the area from Podstrana to Trogir and from Split to Dicmo will be connected by a system of public bicycles.

The "Choose a bicycle!" strategic project is co-financed by the European Union within the ITU Call "Urban Mobility - Development of public bicycle systems in the Urban Agglomeration of Split." The project application was prepared by the Development Agency Split - RaST, with the support of the Service for International and EU Projects of the City of Split, which is now leading the project. The project's total value is HRK 13.6 million, of which the grant amounts to a total of HRK 10.8 million. This project to develop the public bicycle system is planned to popularize bicycles as an alternative form of public transport. An indispensable part is developing and improving the network of cycling infrastructure, which will enable faster access to public transport stops and serve as an upgrade of the existing form of public transport in the Split urban agglomeration.

These 41 new locations with bicycle terminals will be distributed in eight local self-government units following the analysis of needs and possibilities for the implementation of the system, as follows:

City of Split: 16 terminals with 50 electric and 20 classic bicycles.

City of Solin: 6 terminals with 12 electric and 26 classic bicycles.

City of Trogir: 3 terminals with 10 electric and 10 classic bicycles.

Kaštela: 6 terminals with 30 electric and 30 classic bicycles.

Municipality of Podstrana: 2 terminals with 6 electric and 6 classic bicycles.

Municipality of Klis: 2 terminals with 4 electric and 8 classic bicycles.

Municipality of Dugopolje: 4 terminals with 10 electric and 10 classic bicycles.

Municipality of Dicmo: 2 terminals with 4 electric and 6 classic bicycles.

For more, check out our dedicated lifestyle section.