The Minister of the Sea, Tourism, Transport and Development Božidar Kalmeta opened a 13-kilometre section of the Istrian Y highway, running from Vodnjan to Pula, on Thursday.
The opening of the highway section marks the completion of the first stage of the construction of the Istrian Y highway as a single carriage highway.
This stage is to be followed by the construction of the highway as a dual carriageway, which is currently being designed, said Kalmeta who was accompanied by the Minister of Environmental Protection, Zoning and Construction, Marina Matulović Dropulić and by Ivan Jakovčić, the County Prefect of Istria.
Kalmeta also added that the second stage of construction works would start next year, as would the construction of a section running from Pula to Medulin.
French Ambassador to Croatia Francois Saint Paul said that the project set an example in Europe and confirmed the exceptionally good cooperation between the two countries.
Works on the Vodnjan-Pula section started in August 2005 and the main contractor, the French company Bouygues, hired more than 150 domestic workers and some 30 local subcontractors.
The concession holder Bina-Istra secured EUR 59 million worth of loans for the construction of the Vodnjan-Pula section.
The section includes two hubs, eight flyovers, ten subways, a bridge and a rest area.