Press
A perfect tourist world just a few kilometers away. But away from the holiday fun, locals are suffering. Residents of a small town in Croatia are complaining.
Split – Croatia’s second largest city sits picturesquely on a peninsula in the Adriatic. With its beautiful beaches and the majestic Diocletian’s Palace, Split is an absolute tourist magnet – and understandably so. However, just forty minutes by car from the unofficial capital of Dalmatia, holidaymakers are frustrated.
Coastal town in Croatia complains about problems due to tourist hotspot: “We are the sewage system of Split”
What’s going on in Vranjica? The small town is complaining about the big problems that tourism is bringing into the bay. Literally. However, the blame for this is not on the holidaymakers, who in turn are causing some discontent in Split, but on the Split Port Authority and the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure.
At least the locals have been denouncing this for years. Now the initiative “A place that wants to live” has again written an open letter to the local portal Morski.hrAnger and disbelief about the situation on the coast dominate.
“We are Split’s sewage system,” complain the residents of this otherwise idyllic area, which nestles in a basin between the island of Čiovo and the peninsula of Vinišće on the Adriatic. Photos show why the despair is so great. Thick layers of oil are polluting the dream beaches and boat harbors. Locals also speak of heavy air and unpleasant smells at night.
“Collateral victims of daily pollution”: Shipping operations pollute coastal areas on the Adriatic
Poor infrastructure is leading dirt, oil and sewage from the ports of Split directly to the shores of Vranjice, the letter of complaint states. The residents feel ignored. They write about the port authority and the ministry: “It is obvious that they work by ignoring letters and the answers from other supervisory authorities literally insult our intelligence.”
Specifically, the pollution is caused by old tankers that lose large amounts of oil on their way to Split, as well as by berths in Salonit and Brodoremont, where 60 ships are anchored uncontrolled, and by outdated loading systems at the transshipment ports.
“In this fight, we are collateral victims of the daily pollution of the sea, air and environment,” writes the citizens’ initiative. Officials ignore pollution in the tourist hotspot so that the city can prosper. For the residents of Kaštela Bay, it feels as if they are worth less. They describe themselves as “victims of the exploitation of maritime assets.”
“Really tragic and sad”: Citizens’ initiative from Croatia criticizes handling of EU funds
The initiative has been pushing for closed warehouses, transshipment facilities, filters and dust collectors for commercial shipping operations in Split for years. However, little has been done to protect the environment so far; instead, money is being put into expanding the port in Stinice. Money from EU funds. And Vranjica is not the only coastal town that is talking about massive environmental problems.
“We demand the constitutional right to a healthy life and compliance with high environmental standards, which are also set out in EU directives and laws,” the citizens’ initiative states, stressing: “We find it really sad and tragic that in the four years in which we have written our letters and contacted the Ombudsman, absolutely nothing has been done about such requests, but everything has only been dragged out.” (moe)
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