Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Oleg Butković said on Monday, commenting on the union's disagreement with the method of selecting shipping companies for the Split-Supetar-Split line, that this is legitimate, but the state takes care of Jadrolinija, so there is no need to fear for its future, writes N1.
The Independent Union of Passenger Ship Seafarers of Croatia has announced a peaceful gathering in the Split ferry port today, where they will express their dissatisfaction with the procedure carried out by the Agency for Coastal and Liner Maritime Transport and the method of selecting shipping companies for the new high-speed ferry line Split-Supetar Split, and point out the incomplete Act on Transport in Liner and Occasional Coastal Maritime Transport.
The union believes that by approving the sailing of the commercial shipping company Kapetan Luka Krilo on the Split-Supetar-Split route, Jadrolinija is placed in a disadvantageous position, but Oleg Butkovic He says that a peaceful protest is legitimate, but the state is very concerned about Jadrolinija, so in that sense there is no need to fear for the future of Jadrolinija.
"Jadrolinija will sign a loan with the World Bank in early 2026, which we prepared together with the Management Board and the World Bank, for around 200 million euros for the purchase of new ships. Part of it will come from the modernization, or climate-social fund, provided by the Ministry of Environmental Protection," he said.
Jadrolinija expects major investments in its fleet
Butković announced that Jadrolinija is expecting major investments in its fleet. "Our task was to secure funds and create the conditions for this to be realized. Jadrolinija should operate in accordance with legal procedures, like all shipping companies, and the Agency cannot put anyone in an unequal position compared to Jadrolinija," he added.
He says that it is a commercial catamaran line, which has no state support and is not a ferry line. In addition, there are also situations where someone else maintains the state line, and Jadrolinija operates on a commercial basis, so this is not something new for Croatia.
"We will supervise the entire procedure of the Agency, because we received a signal, and we will see if everything was according to the law," said the minister and reiterated that the state has always taken care of Jadrolinija, in all governments, and it will continue to be so.
When asked about the Law on Transport in Liner and Occasional Coastal Maritime Transport, Butković replied that the law has certain shortcomings, so a working group will be established and, in cooperation with the European Commission, see how the law can be improved.
Butković signed a contract in Crikvenica on the allocation of grants for the construction of a port open to public traffic of local importance, Omorika in Dramalj, and after that, in Opatija, he will sign a contract for the expansion of the port, secondary breakwater and coast in Ika.
Source: N1
Photo: PGK
