Signed Agreement on Financing Overhaul of Fishing Fleet

The Agreement on financing the overhaul and modernization of the Croatian fishing fleet was signed today by the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (Hrvatska banka za obnovu i razvoj – HBOR), the Ministry of the Sea, Tourism, Transport and Development, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Watermanagement, and the Ministry of Economy, Labor and Entrepreneurship.

According to that model of financing, the Republic of Croatia will secure, via the three ministries, 30% of the value of the ships, 10% will be secured by the fishermen/ship-owners and the rest of 60% will be financed through HBOR and business banks loans, explained Anton Kovačev, president of the HBOR Managing board. He added that in the past the HBOR had granted 19 loans for the overhaul and modernization of the fishing fleet in the value of HRK 117 million, 17 of those loans were used for the construction of new ships and the other two for modernization.

With help of this project, which was first adopted in 2005, plans are to build 26 new ships in the value of HRK 217 million and to reconstruct 7 fishing boats in the value of HRK 22 million in Croatian shipyards.

The Minister of the Sea, Tourism, Transport and Development Božidar Kalmeta pointed out that Croatia was free to increase and modernize its fishing fleet in whatever way it pleased until the moment of joining the EU; for that it was necessary to use the remaining time to create a fishing fleet which would be able withstand the competition on the open market. He also said that it was necessary to link with that project the construction of fishing ports in numerous counties along with the necessary infrastructure. 

Another important step in developing the fishing industry was the introduction of so-called wholesale fish-markets, said the Minster of Agriculture, Forestry and Watermanagement Petar Čobanković. The first of those fish-markets will be built in the cities of Poreč and followed by Pula and Zadar.

The Minster of Finance Ivan Šuker explained that the Project would help not only the fishermen but also the shipyards which would gain a great opportunity to employ their capacities.

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