As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 10th of August, 2020, The Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure, Oleg Butkovic, said on Saturday that the extension of the Bina-Istra concession (which will go on until 2039) implies an investment of 197 million euros and that the full profile of the Istrian Y should be completed by the time the next Croatian tourist season rolls around.

He also noted that the second pipe of the Ucka tunnel and the full profile of the highway should be completed by the year 2024.

"Yesterday we received news that the European Commission (EC) has approved the plan for the Republic of Croatia to extend the Bina-Istra concession until the year 2039, which includes an investment worth 197 million euros, this involves the second pipe of the Ucka tunnel and the full profile of the Kvarner highway, which is in Primorje-Gorski Kotar county,'' stated the Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure.

''The contract for that will be extended until the year 2039, although we believe that the loans will be repaid earlier and that we'll repay the investment by the year 2037, after which everything will become the property of the Republic of Croatia, the entire Istrian Y, including the two pipes of the Ucka tunnel,'' Oleg Butkovic said.

The Minister noted that the full profile of the Istrian Y to the Ucka tunnel is being built, that it will be finished by the beginning of the time 2021's tourist season arrives, and that the second pipe of the Ucka tunnel and the full profile of the motorway should be finished by the end of 2023.

"It is a continuation of construction and investment in large infrastructure projects, with a special emphasis placed on transport in Croatia," noted Minister Oleg Butkovic, emphasising that around 25 billion kuna is now being invested.

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ZAGREB, Aug 8, 2020 - Transport Minister Oleg Butkovic has said that the extension of the Istrian Y motorway concession agreement between Croatia and the company Bina-Istra until 2039 envisages €197 million worth of investments and that the motorway is expected to be completed to the Ucka tunnel by 2021.

The second tube to the Ucka tunnel and the full profile of the motorway should be completed by 2024, the minister said.

The concession agreement will be prolonged until 2039 even though we believe that the loans will be repaid somewhat sooner and the investment will be repaid by 2037, after which Croatia will become the owner of the motorway, Butkovic said.

This is the continuation of construction and investments in big infrastructure projects, notably transport, Butkovic said, stressing that currently around 25 billion kuna worth of investments, mostly financed with EU funds, was underway.

The European Commission on Friday approved, under EU State aid rules, Croatia's plan to prolong the Istrian Y motorway concession agreement with the company Bina-Istra. This will allow €197 million of new investments by the concession operator to go ahead while limiting distortions of competition, the EC said.

The EC said that the motorway is a 145 km long motorway linking the Istrian region with the rest of Croatia. The motorway is operated under a concession agreement from 1995, which was awarded to Bina-Istra until 2034.

The prolongation will allow Bina-Istra to finance the construction of a second carriageway (one more lane in each direction) between Vranja Interchange and the Ucka tunnel/Kvarner portal - an 8km stretch on the north-eastern side of the motorway.

ZAGREB, Aug 7, 2020 - The European Commission has approved under EU State aid rules a Croatian plan to prolong the Istrian Y motorway concession agreement between Croatia and the company Bina-Istra. This will allow €197 million of new investments by the concession operator to go ahead, while limiting distortions of competition.

The EC says in a press release that the Istrian Y motorway is a 145 km long motorway linking the Istrian region with the rest of Croatia. The motorway is operated under a concession agreement from 1995, which was awarded to the company Bina-Istra until 2034.

In June 2020, Croatia notified to the Commission a prolongation of the concession agreement until 2039.

The prolongation will allow Bina-Istra to finance the construction of a second carriageway (one more lane in each direction) between Vranja Interchange and the Ucka tunnel/Kvarner portal - an 8km stretch on the north-eastern side of the motorway.

The aid takes the form of a prolongation of the concession, the EC says, adding that this will allow the €197 million investment, which will mainly be used to construct a new 5.63 km-long second tube to the Ucka tunnel, which is necessary to meet the minimum safety requirements, as well as several new viaducts, underpasses and overpasses. Bina-Istra will also renew the Kvarner rest area.

The Commission examined the measure under EU State aid rules on services of general economic interest (SGEI) and EU public procurement rules, notably the EU Directive on the award of concession contracts (Directive 2014/23/EU), according to which companies can be compensated for the extra cost of providing a public service on certain conditions.

The Commission found that, under the Croatian plan to extend the Istrian Y motorway concession agreement, all compatibility conditions are fulfilled.

The prolongation of the concession is proportionate to the amount needed to finance the required works and Bina-Istra is not overcompensated. The Commission concluded that the measure will promote growth and unlock investment, without unduly distorting competition and trade between Member States in line with EU State aid and public procurement rules.

An Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) MEP has proposed better road connections between Istria and Croatia, primarily involving the Slovenian motorway and the Istrian Y.

When it comes to good neighbourly relations between Croatia and its neighbour to the north, Slovenia, things have been bad at worst and petty at best over the last few years. The border dispute has led both countries to quite childish jibes and Slovenia will likely continue to try to block Croatia's Schengen entry for as long as possible because of the country's refusal to recognise and therefore implement the arbitration court's decision on the border.

As Glas Istre/Dubravko Grakalic writes on the 15th of November, 2019, an IDS Member of the European Parliament, Walter Flego, emphasised in his brief debate in the European Parliament the need to create transport links between Croatia and Slovenia.

"I come from Istria and I recognise the importance of international and cross-border co-operation in an area. Clearly, I'm not just talking about projects and events, but also about infrastructure. We've got some excellent examples at the very top of the EU, such as the Interreg interregional cooperation program, which has funded more than sixty very valuable projects. When talking about Istria, we have a great example of connection and cooperation between two water supply lines - the Istrian water supply system from the Croatian part of Istria, and the Rižan water supply system from the Slovenian part of Istria,'' Flego cited.

"We need a connection between the Istrian Yp to the Slovenian motorway network in order to reduce congestion during the tourist season. That's why I ask that cohesion policy funds not be cut and that is why I'm asking for such an item to be placed in the 2021-2027 budget. This would enable our people in Istria to live and work more easily and simply. Our countries are not isolated islands, so let's invest in the coming years in projects that connect us, so that residents and tourists can live and work freely throughout the year, but also enjoy their well-deserved holidays,'' said IDS's Walter Flego in Brussels, Belgium.

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Istria is one of few parts of Croatia without a real motorway. That is about to change.

If we have any advice for you today, please stay off the roads!