In Split-Dalmatia County, two agreements and three contracts for the realization of significant infrastructure projects were signed on Friday, including a water purification system at the source of the Jadro river, reports T.portal on March 29, 2019. 

These are important agreements signed by the General Director of Croatian Water Zoran Đureković, Split-Dalmatia County Prefect Blaženko Boban and Director of the Split Water Supply and Drainage Ltd., Tomislav Šut, as well as representatives of the four water supply companies in Split-Dalmatia County. It is a project that involves analyzing several solutions for water supply to the Split area from alternative routes. The project value is 850,000 kuna.

The other signed agreement, worth 10 million kuna, is for the co-financing, study, and tender documentation to upgrade the regional water supply system Omis-Brač-Hvar-Šolta-Vis, which is required to apply for EU funds.

In addition to these two agreements, three contracts were signed, the first worth 823,000 kuna, which provides for the co-financing of the tender documentation for the design and construction of Stupe wastewater treatment, expert supervision services, and drafting the preliminary and main project of the secondary sewage and water supply network of Korešnica and Žrnovnica. Also, the study and technical documentation, and the documentation for the public procurement of drinking water conditioning equipment will be produced.

A contract worth more than 18 million kuna was provided for the water-communal infrastructure of the Split-Solin agglomeration, with the agglomeration of Podstrana and Kaštela-Trogir for co-financing from EU funds. The third contract, which is the study and project documentation for the water supply system Omiš-Brač-Hvar-Šolta-Vis, is financed with 59,000 kuna. 

Prefect Blaženko Boban agreed that an alternative is needed given that about half a million people drink water from the Jadro. He said that all public and transport infrastructure should be available and that the Constitution guarantees water supply to citizens.

General Director of Croatian Water, Zoran Đuroković, pointed out that these are strategic projects that provide security for water supply and sewage disposal. He added that 5 billion kuna was secured for works in the largest Dalmatian county and "to expect the announcement of public tenders" for Split, Solin, Kaštela, and Trogir, and for Sinj, Imotski, Trilj and Hvar, whose value will be around 4 billion kuna.

"The City of Split and its surroundings, with more than 400,000 consumers, requires an alternative water pipeline, that is the Cetina river, and the potential of the Ruda. We will analyze the variant solutions, and when we have the optimal solution, we will apply for European Funds,” says Đureković.

When this is realized, we do not know, though Đureković adds that since just Split, Solin, Kaštela, and Trogir must build 550 km of sewage and water supply networks, two water purification systems, with about 100 building permits, the issue won’t be resolved overnight. 

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March 29, 2019 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for new flights to Croatia with updates from Split and Zagreb airports. 

Split could lose as many as 38,000 inhabitants in the next 20 years, while the most optimistic reports show that the Dalmatian capital could lose 20,000, meaning the total number of inhabitants would undoubtedly fall below 145,000 - just as Split was in the mid-1970s, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on March 28, 2019. 

This shocking result comes for the study "Forecasting Future Needs in Demography, Tourism and Economic Sectors" designed for the Kopilica and East Coast master plan, and is signed by experts from the Zagreb Institute for Development and International Relations.

Ana-Maria Boromisa, the head of the study, visited the Split United showroom and emphasized that by 2040, there would be only around 134,000 citizens in Split if systematic policies and active measures were to be implemented as they have been so far.

During the study, three possible scenarios were taken into consideration - the first where nothing would be done, the second where the available measures are implemented to the maximum, and the third by which all those 13,000 who fled from 2011 to 2017 returned to live in Split.

It should be noted that in 2011, 167,121 residents were listed in the city, which was already 8,000 people less than in 2001, and official estimates by statisticians indicate that figures continue to fall.

The latter scenario is possible, as Boromis said, only if a new "building boom" occurs in the next five years, with 300 new, more affordable flats available on the market every year.

“The number of apartments used to accommodate tourists is increasing by 30%, i.e., families do not live in them in the summer, but usually move to other places where they can live all year round. The opportunity to earn on these is an average of 67 days if the accommodation is filled, which is obviously attractive enough to raise the prices of flats by renters, “ said Boromis, warning that increased housing demand could again lead to rising housing prices and emigration.

In other words, to make the scenario of returnees realistic, it is necessary to change the structure of the economy, limit mass tourism, and change the structure of the accommodation. According to the data presented, the capacities of the Split area from 2010 to 2016 increased by 2.68, but their utilization in 2016 was extremely low, with an occupancy rate of only 20.12 percent.

The number of people per household fell from 3.1 in 2001 to 2.8. On the other hand, the number of tourist arrivals increased by 2.7 times from 2012 to 2017, with overnight stays tripling, and the average length of stay in the city from 2.55 to 2.85 days.

If this trend continues, the Institute predicts that 1.2 million tourists will visit Split, and ten years later this figure would increase to 7.7 million, making it 9.4 million tourists in the city by 2040. This figure of arrivals exceeds the accommodation capacity and projections of the possibilities of its expansion.

“The population structure in Split-Dalmatia County is such that the average age is over 40, indicating that the population is older because the average should be about 35 years. It will take a lot of serious measures to bring people of a younger age back to Split.

In addition to increasing the additional tourist capacity without infrastructure, people who are supposed to work in this industry will collapse. Tourists are coming to experience the local way of life, if it doesn’t disappear, but there is not enough workforce to wait on them,” said Ana-Maria Boromis, who added that they should systematically think and know what is to be achieved to make it equally beneficial for both residents and tourists, and if only a particular interest is to be seen, then not much will be achieved.

The presentation of the study was also accompanied by mayor Andro Krstulović Opara, along with his associates.

“We have heard clear figures based on statistical data and analysis of experts who have once again confirmed that this study and planning development of not only Split but its surroundings are the only possible way to work. So, plan to look at all those scenarios that are ahead of us. I've always said that we need to know our goals and where we will be in 5, 10, 15 or 20 years.

The fact is that the number of inhabitants in Split is reduced because of the price of real estate and living conditions,” Krstulović Opara warns, and adds that this number will fall if severe measures are not taken. 

“Kopilica needs many apartments, and in the area of today's ‘Promet’ garage, we want POS apartments to be rented, exactly what young couples are looking for today. First, it is necessary to proceed with the modification of the spatial planning documentation and the amendments of GUP, and the DPU, which is a big job that will last for the next few years. The master plan is in discussion and we expect the contribution of experts and interested public so that we can adopt it by June,” Krstulović Opara concluded.

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As part of the project "Marjan 2020 - a hill of the past, an oasis of the future", the City of Split initiated the public procurement procedure for the construction of setting up a demountable adrenaline park, reads the City of Split Facebook. 

The location of the future adrenaline park will be located east of the bay of Bene, where it is easier set up more compatible content, such as paintball, picnic areas, and a bocce ball court. Marjan forest park does not currently feature an adrenaline park, although such a program is fully compatible with the recreational character of the space, the City of Split says. 

The modern tourist market makes the adrenaline park a common and viable part of the offer of destinations that aim to meet a wide range of requirements. The goal is to make quality moves with minimal interventions in the natural heritage - putting the entire previously devastated infrastructure into the function of new growth, development, employment, as well as improving the overall sustainability and the biodiversity of the Marjan forest park.

The installation of the demountable adrenaline park is in line with the project activities of the School of Multilingual Development and Sporting Facilities of Marjan.

The project will directly affect the increase in the number of visitors and tourists through targeted content, activities, products and infrastructure, and bring Marjan glory and recognizability in Croatia and the world as one of the main symbols of the City of Split, the City adds. The estimated value of the works for the new adrenaline park is 554.800,00 kuna (without VAT).

Please note that bids must be submitted no later than April 16, 2019 (Tuesday) by 10:00. The offers must be sent to Grad Split, Split, Obala kneza Branimira 17, on April 16, 2019, by 10:00.

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On Wednesday at Dr. Franjo Tudjman Square in Split, preparation works began for setting up a terminal, i.e., the new public bicycle station, and by the end of April, the same terminals will be set up in seven other city locations, reports Dalmatinski Portal on March 27, 2019. 

The result is the partnership of the City of Split with the EU project 'REMEDIO' (REgenerating mixed-use MED urban communities with congested traffic through Innovative low carbon mobility sOlutions) aimed at encouraging the use of low carbon transport systems through testing the operating methods of managing congested traffic and traffic overloaded urban areas.

As part of the project pilot project, in eight locations, Split will receive a with a mixed contingent of 20 electric and 30 classic bicycles, while the partner in the implementation is Split parking d.o.o. The bikes will be available on the Riva in front of Sv. Frane (2 bicycle stands), the parking lot in Split 3, the parking lot in Žnjan, the parking near Joker, the bus station at Sukoišanska, the parking at Stari Plac, the Spinut Student House and the Campus.

“The City of Split, within the project, has available grants for the procurement of public bicycle systems and the implementation of specific project activities amounting to a total of EUR 267,500.00 with a co-financing rate of 85%. The project is funded by the ERDF through the Interreg MED program. Through the recently agreed EU project 'SUTRA', which includes similar activities, it is envisaged to upgrade the system as well as to extend the existing contingent of ordinary and electric bicycles,” said theCity of Split. 

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During the ongoing excavations in the Split Pjaca on Wednesday morning, a skeleton was discovered at the site where HEP was laying new high-voltage cables. The skeleton lies on the remains of the Sv. Lovre church, dating from the late antiquity, and is known as one of the earliest Split churches, reports Splitski Dnevnik on March 27, 2019. 

The Sv. Lovre church was in use from the 7th-century and was demolished in the 15th century. Research located the church in the 1970s, and in this area, walls appear to belong to an object that was then defined. For now, the western and southern wall of the church has been located, but its exact size is still unknown.

Slobodna Dalmacija Reader 

"Finding skeletons in this location is nothing out of the ordinary. Namely, around the church itself, after it was demolished, it was buried quite deep. We assume that the church was built at the end of the fifth or early sixth century, and was demolished in the 15th century. Afterwards, the Pjaca was built here during the Renaissance transformation. The Pjaca is historically known as Sv. Lovre Square and the church itself dates back to the late antiquity. It is one of the earliest Split churches,” says Radoslav Bužančić, head of the Conservation Department.

The skeleton itself will be processed, and further research will decide what will happen to it next. Once all is said and done, the works will continue in this part of Pjaca, though no date is known as of yet. 

This archaeological evidence shows the transformation of Diocletian's Palace into the ancient city, showing the expansion from the palace to the west, Dr Bužančić adds.

Slobodna Dalmacija reported that the latest archaeological research on this site, which was a prerequisite for the start of the reconstruction of the Hotel Central, was carried out in 2010. It confirmed that there are remains of Romanesque houses, 19th-century sewers and medieval cemeteries, along with large stone blocks from ancient times under Pjaca, making today’s find not entirely surprising.

During the research conducted in 1978 southwest of the City Hall, in the middle of the Square, at a depth of only 30 to 50 cm, a cemetery was discovered with a total of 24 graves with skeletal remains. 

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The local politicians (county councilors) of Split-Dalmatia County have analyzed the past tourist season and discussed preparations for the season ahead. All in all, they are happy with the number of arrivals and overnight stays, but warn against the negative side of sudden tourist development, reports Dalmacija Danas on March 26, 2019. 

“In Dalmatia, we have a growth in tourism, increasing demand for local food, and people are leaving us from Zagora, Slavonia. Sinj is the center of Dalmatia, connecting it to the highway would be important, and therefore Split-Dalmatia County must insist on traffic verticals. We have to make sure that at our restaurants, ethnic cuisine is not ordered, but local cuisine. Fields have to be irrigated. We no longer have lambs; now we only have them in the elections. We have to encourage livestock farming and be cautious, as my colleague Bačić said. We import frozen lamb from Romania and New Zealand. Let's not fool around with the shepherds. The meadows are empty. Weeds are growing in the Sinj field. We will applaud it when it is resolved. It is good to grow tourism, but we produce very little. To produce only for tourism purposes, Zagora would be full of flocks and cultivated fields. We produce food, encourage shepherds and cattle. At that point, the cry will be heard in the birthplaces in Zagora, not at the bus stations,” said MOST’s Miro Bulj.

Danica Baričević from HDZ said that there are more and more flights in Dalmatia every year. 

“At the fair, the county presented the coast, the islands, and Zagora. They presented Dalmatian flavors, from cheese to prosciutto. We are the only county in the Republic of Croatia that recognizes all the efforts of private renters and co-finances it, especially in Zagora. It is my pleasure to return to the roots in this tourist story. The maritime department and tourism department is planning well, and we are doing projects like Hidden Habits which recognizes our natural heritage in Dugopolje, Split, Mosor and Kaštela. We need sustainable tourism. It is located in the tourist infrastructure, especially Zagora. More and more guests are returning from Western countries. In 2019, our Zagora became a place for pleasant and safe living. The analysis is excellent and the results are to be praised. We want this season to be even more successful.” 

SDP’s Damir Krstinić said that tourism is holding up the state, but there are also negatives.

“It's aggressive towards resources, especially nature. It burdens the infrastructure. Almost all our places along the coast and on the islands have an unresolved issue of fecal water. Tourism changes the structure of society; in particular, it means that somebody may be chasing you off of your "own" beach because you will not rent a lounger. Due to all this, the price of subsistence is very high and the students are begging to leave their apartments by June 1. Short-term rent is promoted which brings much less revenue. Tourism is a good servant, but it can become a bad master. We have to be careful not to lose control over tourism.”

Milija Baldić-Lukšić (MOST) emphasized that Kaštela celebrated 110 years of tourism.

“The first hotel in Kaštela, the Palace, is still fresh. It is photographed by tourists who send photos on their mobile phones. How to improve our county's offer and turn it into the best destination? I want the consumption of tourists in the county to be bigger than it is now. It is imperative that we use our own products, cultural and historical goods more. As for the number of tourist overnights - in Seget, the number is growing, in Solin this number is low. We have the offer, but it should be coupled with the preservation of the environment so that tourists can recognize us by ecology, sea, and gastronomy. It's not good that everything goes by figures, it should also be about quality. The number of apartments is increasing, and the prices are falling.”

Natalija Rajčić from the Pametno party spoke about the issue of waste generated during the season.

“Marketing is good, but there are no words about problems like semi-permeable septic tanks, etc. Let's take more account of what the guests are not content with.”

Mate Rebić (MOST) said that tourism is the strongest branch of the county. 

“I think tourism is the most important in economic terms. While it increases, there is an increasing pressure on space and the problem of sustainable tourism development comes to the fore and it is increasingly in the public's focus. Last year, the Institute of Tourism developed a Study of Capacity. Recall, there are several major constraints on tourism development. There is the problem of waste disposal, drainage, roads, parking places, and overburdening the electrical network. If we want the growth rates of tourism to be bigger, we will need to be serious about it. In parts of the county where there is a higher pressure of tourism, there is a greater degree of irritation on the local population.”

The director of the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, Joško Stella, said that the capacity study is significant because the county has received this analysis, whereas, for example, Dubrovnik or Barcelona do not have it. 

“It is not a goal to raise capacities so that we have no one to work. This is an analysis of the tourist season, not tourism. As far as measures are the same every year, the result is that the season is constantly extended. Flights are now operating until November. I am not saying that we have to have an entire tourist year, but that the season is sustainable. The beauties must be preserved for the generations to come.”

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As many of you are aware, Split revealed the master plan for the revitalization of the East Coast and Kopilica. After the public presentation and a series of workshops with the media, councilors, architects and private landowners, one of the project's authors, Christof Schremmer from the Austrian Institute for Spatial Planning, spoke in detail with Dalmatinski Portal on March 25, 2019. 

On the example of Vienna, Schremmer showed that he had similarly implemented this idea, that is, create an entire urban neighborhood around a station which was previously avoided by inhabitants. 

Vienna is an optimistic example, but on the other hand, for one European town, it took 12 years from the idea to completion. How realistic is it that Split will realize everything in their announced timeframe?

“It’s realistic. We gathered all the stakeholders, from the Croatian Railways, the HŽ Cargo, the Port Authority to the Croatian Roads, to work together to find solutions. When we talk about the timeline, we are talking about two locations - East Coast and Kopilica. As far as the East Coast is concerned, which is considerably smaller than Kopilica, it is necessary first to clean and repair the railway line. When this happens, it is possible to realize it in some ten years. Kopilica is much bigger; for this, we believe it will be a brand new neighborhood in the city and we are talking about a realistic 20-year period. So, in that period, everything will be completed, from hotels, apartments, tourist facilities, promenades, a pedestrian bridge over Ulica Domovinskog rata. In this area, it is crucial to build an intermodal transportation center from which everything moves, after that we would need to resolve the rail and freight terminal in Stinica, which would reduce the burden on the city ferry port in terms of freight vehicles entering the city center. The port of Stinica could be realized in 5 to 10 years. Then you would see concrete moves. Also, some parts in Kopilica could be quickly realized, for example, after moving the Promet garage to Dračevac, this would be a good location the city for residential construction.

What was your biggest challenge? What do you consider to be the key to this project?

“Our masterplan work was contracted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on the basis of an agreed work program elaborated with the City of Split. We are focusing on projects that can be realized and have positive effects. To achieve this, we work closely with key stakeholders to provide new infrastructure. The challenge is to establish a permanent work process between the city and the stakeholders to reach a coherent set of new infrastructures such as railways, roads, bridges, and ports promptly and ensure continuous communication with citizens.”

But Split’s current traffic solution is catastrophic…

“Proposed transport measures include a modern rail link from East Coast to Kopilica, then to the airport and Trogir. This should be an attractive means of transport for the entire region, not just for tourists, which can significantly reduce the traffic or arrival of vehicles from suburban settlements to the city. Another goal is to make the environmentally-friendly forms of transport more attractive in the city by improving the bus transportation system and providing good cycling trails, i.e., for e-bikes and e-scooters. There doesn’t need to be large public garages on the East Coast that would attract more cars; garages are only planned for the needs of hotels, offices or cultural buildings that will be built in the future.”

Schremmer mentioned that last July, 12,000 vehicles were measured entering and leaving the city harbor.

“In order to reduce this burden, we propose a cargo port in Kopilica, which can reduce incoming/outgoing traffic for the heaviest vehicles. The redirection of about 2,000 trucks and delivery vehicles per day from the narrow urban area to Kopilnica would be a significant improvement. Also, if a good park & ride garage with a new attractive car park is provided in Kopilica, the number of vehicles in the city center can be reduced to 4,000 per day.”

Where would Schremmer position the roundabout? What would be the entrance to the harbor?

“A new entry road, to be constructed from Zagrebačka Street to the roundabout would be located in the area behind the existing bus station, on the land of HŽ. From this roundabout, the cars would be distributed according to different ferry connections. The vehicles to be discharged from the ferry would be directed to the same roundabout, after which they would leave the tunnel from the port area on Pojišanska Street. Croatian Roads must elaborate detailed project plans and define the exact exit point. At this point, we estimate that the tunnel will be 400 to 600 meters long. The existing bridge in the south would remain as an additional option in the event of blocking a new exit. This traffic regulation would significantly reduce congestion in this area.

For the road to be realized, we suggest that the railway line in the new terminal building should be lowered by about 6 meters. This would, on the one hand, provide sufficient space for the new entry road. On the other hand, this would allow a new approach to the East Coast and the Old Town - getting out of the train, moving on escalators, and an open view on the harbor, no cars, buses, and trucks blocking it. The terminal building itself could have three to four floors, not too much, and there would be room for offices, shops, catering facilities and the like.”

The East Coast includes apartments, as the revitalization of the East Coast and Kopilica is also described as a demographic measure. It foresees returning the population to the center, but how possible is it considering the location and astronomical prices per square meter?

“The main intention is to make this part a cultural, congress and conference center with the intention that this space is active for the whole year. The housing part is very small, it should be above the part of the tunnel entrance. Kopilica foresees more flats, for younger families with affordable prices.”

In the last few days, you have been holding a series of presentations with different profiles of citizens. What is the feedback?

"It seems to me that people see a coherent plan which could determine the direction things could take place. It should be known that information from all stakeholders is now being collected and then it will be decided more specifically. It has many capacities for further masterplan development.”

What is the key to making this master plan function?

“For the realization of the master plan, it is most important for all parties to gather and coordinate their projects with a long-term perspective. The contribution of the Croatian Railways, the HŽ Cargo, the Port Authority and Croatian Roads is necessary for the entire system to function. That is why we believe that the motto of this process - 'Split United' - is excellent, because we can only realize it together.”

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March 25, 2019 - It is the news that many ‘Ultranauts’ around the world have been waiting for… Ultra Europe, the world's only destination festival, has finally revealed the second phase of performers set to take the stage in Split this summer. 

Preparations for the upcoming season are already nearing completion, and despite the media insights and announcements of a worse season due to last-minute bookings and Brexit, but also the new boom of Spain and Greece who are daring to offer competitive prices, Split tourist workers are optimistic, reports Splitski Dnevnik on March 25, 2019. 

Anyone who has already placed their apartments in the queue can breathe a sigh of relief, for yet another fruitful summer awaits us. This optimism is certainly given by the Split Tourist Board data, which shows that in the first two months of 2019, the city recorded an increase of 25 percent in arrivals and overnight stays.

There was considerable interest at this year's ITB Berlin, which showcased the surrounding areas of Split to tourists, resulting in better-equipped apartments outside the city on offer this year. At the same time, the season was extended and now we can freely say that the only break in the year is from November 1 to March 1.

However, the trend of last-minute reservations this year clearly shows that we need to keep an eye on manipulating prices and quality, but also that a significant price increase in the heart of the season is not the best choice if we want sustainable and long-lasting tourism.

"More and more guests prefer booking last minute. Realizing that they can choose accommodation and that the offer, especially in our country, is substantial, they do not rush with reservations, so I am confident that all private renters will reach capacity more or less by the summer,” says the president of the Family Tourism Community Section Martina Nimac Kalcin.

The competition is increasing year after year, though this has not affected the prices of apartments thus far. What it changes is the quality for the price. This is the most common problem for renters with three-star apartments, who do not have any added value, such as a swimming pool. Such apartments are located mostly in the outermost parts of the city and beyond.

"Guests would rather choose the center of Split than a suburb, but this does not apply, for example, to Podstrana, because it is already a kind of Riviera. There, guests holiday for seven or more days, because they are not the city break guests in Split who stay however many days. But there are differences as well. One is being the first row of houses to the sea, where tourists have the beach at their fingertips, and there are quite a few other places above the Adriatic highway,” said Nimac Kalcina.

It is these landlords who have to pay attention to every detail of their offer, and the increase in lump sums, some of which could be discouraging. Because when all the costs and earnings are counted, it may be more worthwhile to rent to the tenants monthly.

Such an option should be in the tourist offer because the number of apartments is at the maximum. In recent years, the capacity of apartments has risen by 20 percent, though the number of guests remained relatively the same.

"There is a problem that will be even more pronounced this year because more apartments will be on the market, I am sure, at least 10 percent. Then the nerves grow, prices fall, they start talking about the bad season, and so on. It's not a bad season, but the supply has grown on the demand,” says Tomislav Fain, in his third year as the president of the National Association of Croatian Travel Agencies.

To cope with a similar situation, Barcelona has banned the opening of new apartments, though such rigorous moves will not happen in Croatia.

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