Parliament considers inland navigable waterways strategy

The Croatian parliament on Thursday afternoon discussed a draft strategy for the development of inland navigable waterways in the next ten years.

Presenting the document, Transport Ministry State Secretary Branko Bačić said that the primary objective of the strategy was the integration of inland navigable waterways into transport corridors.

Croatia is planning to build a multipurpose Danube-Sava canal, and will earmark HRK 5.5 billion for this project in the next ten years. The government intends to invest HRK 1.7 billion for the modernization of ports and infrastructure construction.

Bačić said that Croatia could not be satisfied with the current state of affairs in its inland waterway transport infrastructure, as this kind of transport infrastructure made up a mere 1.5 percent of the overall transport infrastructure, while in the European Union water transport infrastructure accounts for some six percent.

Opposition parliamentarians criticized the strategy claiming that it was lacking. (Hina)