The discussion of the most crucial point of Wednesday’s City Council session, the Split budget proposal for 2019 with the projections for 2020 and 2021, began after almost nine hours, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on December 19, 2018. 

Mayor Andro Krstulović Opara presented a budget of 1.1 billion kuna, which is 120 million more than this year, which amounted to 980 million kuna.

Opara said that the budget was stimulating, developing and strategically oriented.

“When I am asked if it is ambitious, I say that this is the only opportunity to catch the train that is rushing beside us, because compared to Zagreb or Rijeka, it is clear that Split has been behind for almost a decade,” the mayor said.

Dragan Brtan, head of the Department of Financial Management and Control, presented individual figures, revenues, expenditures and planned projections. The most significant feature is the large amount for investment, i.e., for capital construction for which about 270 million kuna is planned.

“We see this happening through the prism of budget disbursement because a large part of the projects are co-financed from EU funds, which is accompanied by an increase in the number of employees. This refers to 80 people employed in city kindergartens and as part of the project "Zaželi sretniju starost" where 50 people are employed, all 100% funded, which has allowed us to redirect these funds to some other projects. All the projects for the next budget are under preparation and almost all the items have an increase,” Brtan said.

Natalia Tafra Bazina commented on behalf of the Smart party.

“Today we have a budget proposal for 2019 with projections for 2020 and 2021 submitted to us on December 12, although the legal deadline was November 15. But the biggest problem isn’t that it’s a violation of the law, or that the most important sessions of the week are held before Christmas and the day before another thematic session that is also delayed; All this is not a problem if you have a realistic, transparent and responsible budget in front of you. Unfortunately, in front of us we have an unrealistic budget, a plan full of good wishes that will be difficult to achieve. An important part of the Budget is goals. Where is the review of the achievements of the basic goals in 2018?” said Tafra Bazina.

The Most party submitted 43 amendments on the present Budget Proposal, and presented a series of proposals aimed at "raising the quality of life in districts, increasing decentralized funds for districts and local committees". They pointed out that they are seeking asylum again, and state that they will also prepare a Proposal for a Decision on this issue.

The amendments by Most and Ante Zoričić were requested with an increase of 324,000 kuna, which should be taken away from the Smart City digitalisation project.

“The asylum seeker is the County, and the City can establish asylum, and by the act of accepting the amendment we do not establish asylum, but by accepting, we will participate in the founding. We can accept the amendment and not remove money from the SmartCity project but find another way,” the mayor replied and accepted the amendment. 

The budget was adopted with 20 hands by HDZ, Ante Zoričić, HNS, HSLS and HGS, while nine from SDP, the Most councilors and the Smart party voted against the budget 

After 11 hours, the City Council session was suspended and resumed on Thursday. 

To read more about Split, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

December 17, 2018 - Last Wednesday, the future layout of Kopilica, where the bus and train station will be moved next year, was presented. Ivan Mrvoš, the Solin innovator and CEO of Include, who you might know better for his smart bench fame, commented on the City of Split’s new project on his Facebook profile. Along with his comments, Mrvoš also included his visualisations for the station. 

"A few days ago, the City of Split announced the construction of a new bus/train station in Kopilica.

And now, here are some incredible facts:

- It is unbelievable that the second largest city in the country has so catastrophically visualized the project

- It is unbelievable that the project idea is what it is; literally, barracks that will serve as waiting/cloakrooms/WC, and then canopies that will end up on the waterfront when the first bura blows

- It is unbelievable that Split, which has several million overnight stays/guests through the summer and who literally lives from tourism, wants to build such a station, which is not worthy of the worst village in Zimbabwe

- It is unbelievable that no more serious money from the EU could be withdrawn if the city/county has no money for one of the most important projects of this century in Split

- It is unbelievable that by 2019, it will be announced as a 'metro', when a diesel train that is 10 or 20 years old is not a metro - but an old train

If there is still no money, why was the conceptual solution and visualization not taken to the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture, and Geodesy in Split? There are certainly enough smart people there who would literally make a quality project 'pro bono'.

The current Split station was built in 1968, which had the same story then - TEMPORARY - but it's only temporary for 50 years. That will also be the case with this - that is 100%.

Those living in Split and its surroundings know about the problems in the summer when they need to take their car to the bus station, which is also the station for the rail, and ferry - because it is tightened to tens of thousands of square meters. Both stations (railway and bus) look catastrophic, are overcrowded, and in the summer, you often wait for hours to get to the ferry port by car/bus.

The idea to move the bus and train station to Kopilica and having a fast train/metro that goes every few minutes from the airport in Kaštela and through Solin and Kopilica, all the way to the ferry port, is a top idea - which has been dragged on for years, waiting for realization. It would be great to build a modern station at Split Airport and take people to the city center in only fifteen minutes. And that the buses no longer come to the port, but rather a modern metro on the fixed up terminals and a big plateau where the current bus station is. 

There is an entire series of problems with this project - from the fact that we do not even have an electrified track from Kaštela to Split (we run diesel trains LOL), the access road in Kopilica which is not built for future traffic, to the total disorganization of the last XY authorities that have nothing to do with this case.

Conclusion: It is better to do nothing than to build this kind of mockery. At the end of the next 50 years, we will have a 'temporary station' in Kopilica, with access roads that are not ready for it, without any connection with Kaštela, and I suppose with the remains of this current eyesore from the East Coast station. The four million kuna provided for 'this' is better spent on a quality conceptual design, visualization and for writing it as an EU project - getting serious money and then embarking on serious work. It's easier for us to survive for three more years with this station than to get another catastrophe.

And finally - I used some pointless hours this morning and made several quick amateur visualizations of the station solution in Kopilica (about 2, 3 hours). Otherwise, visualizations at the firm are done for several days for various projects and look really top-notch, because real renders require time. A couple of days on this project would bring about top visuals. I'm not an architect nor do I spend too much time on buildings, but this is probably the minimum that Split should have for the station. 

If somebody from the city even sees it - I am giving them an idea and visualization for free if they like it. This design solution follows Poljud/shell/wave, with a bunch of glass, steel and other materials. It includes 1,500 sqm of enclosed (air-conditioned) space with modern waiting areas, wardrobes, sanitary hubs, offices and kiosks (counters with less, just e-ticketing), 900 m2 of outdoor space with smart LED lighting, 18 buses with the option of expansion, places for taxis, a place to unload. 

On a 2,200 m2 roof there is an option for 330 kW solar panels - enough for the entire system to be completely energy-independent. Everything can be done, it is just a matter of the want/will, and as it is otherwise - it's missing."

To read more about Ivan Mrvoš, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

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