The Croatian government on Thursday adopted a draft program for the protection and use of uninhabited or occasionally inhabited islets.
The draft regulates the government's pre-emptive right to buy land on islets or those islets if owners decide to sell them.
For this purpose, the Ivo Sanader cabinet will allocate some 200 million kunas (approximately 27.4 million euros) taking into account that the market price is 35 euros per square meter of land.
The program also gives a comprehensive survey of the situation on the said islets regarding their position, cultural and historical heritage, economic potentials and ownership.
Sea and Tourism Ministry State Secretary Branko Bacic said that the draft listed 688 islets in seven coastline counties.
Although their areas measure only 200 square kilometers, these islets account for 27 percent of the length of the coast and they are important for ensuring maritime navigation safety.
Hina