| Author (Corporate) | European Commission: DG Communication |
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| Series Title | Press Release |
| Series Details | IP/17/1519 (07.06.17) |
| Publication Date | 07/06/2017 |
| Content Type | News |
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Background: The construction of the Pelješac bridge, for which the European Union decided to contribute 85% of the cost through cohesion funds, aims to improve the everyday life of Croatians, through reducing the travel time between Dubrovnik and Split. It is also expected to benefit tourism, trade and territorial cohesion in Croatia. The bridge creates an alternative to the Neum corridor, a strip of the Adriatic Sea coastline which belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina and constitutes the only land-based communication route between Dubrovnik and the rest of mainland Croatia. The idea was first mentioned in 1995 but found initial opposition from Bosnia - which was dropped in 2005 - abd economic difficulties due to the financial crisis hitting Europe in 2008. The Croatians saw in 2015 a new opportunity to re-launch the project through access to potntial funding from the European Union. A feasibility study was prepared by Croatia to analyse the possible alternatives to connect the two parts of the country. The construction of a bridge was seen as the most favourable option. Before being adopted by the Commission, the project was assessed by independent experts in the framwork of the Joint Assistance to Support Projects in European Regions (JASPERS) as regards its feasibility and economic viability. The project was also prepared in consultation with the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The works were expected to be completed in 2022. The European Commission announced on 7 June 2017 its decision to allocate €357 million to build a bridge connecting the southermost part of Croatia to the rest of the country's mainland. |
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| Source Link | http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-1519_en.htm |
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| Subject Categories | Politics and International Relations |
| Countries / Regions | Croatia, Europe |
