Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor on Sunday opened a 28 kilometre dual carriageway section of the Istrian Y motorway running from Pula to Kanfanar.
The Pula-Kanfanar motorway section has three hubs and 27 subway crossings and flyovers.
The investment amounts to EUR 86 million, while the value of the entire 2A stage of the Istrian Y motorway project, which also includes a 49.2 kilometre Umag-Kanfanar section and an 18-kilometre Kanfanar-Rogovici section, is EUR 320 million.
PM Kosor said that in the current time of crisis a project like this one was proof that Croatia was capable of overcoming the crisis.
"It is of the utmost importance that 
we all stick together - the government, local authorities and others involved in this project," she said.
Kosor recalled that the Pula-Kanfanar section was being opened 19 months before deadline.
The government will continue supporting this project, as well as other projects in Istria, such as the construction of a new hospital in Pula, said Kosor.
I believe this project will provide additional impetus to the economy, notably tourism, the PM said, adding that of last year's 56 million overnight stays, more than 18 million was generated in Istria.
She added that Croatia was slowly but definitely overcoming the crisis.
The Minister of Sea, Transport and 
Infrastructure, Bozidar Kalmeta, said that the Y motorway project in Istria was the biggest infrastructure project on that northern Adriatic peninsula, as well as a business project of great importance.
He recalled that the Croatian government and the French company Bouygues in 1995 signed an agreement on the Istrian Y motorway project and that Croatia had a very good partner in Bouygues.
"Since the signing of the concession agreement, traffic along this motorway has doubled, and when one considers the fact that more than 90 percent of tourists in Istria arrive here by car, that's proof enough of the importance of this road," Kalmeta said.
Istria County Prefect Ivan Jakovcic, who also attended the opening of the motorway section, thanked PM Kosor for "recognising the importance of this project and being very sensitive to all projects in Istria."
David Gabelica, CEO of the Croatian-French owned company Bina Istra, which builds and operates the Istrian Y motorway, said that yet another motorway section with 50 kilometres in length would be opened to traffic before the start of the tourist season 2011, and that one more, 18-kilometre section would be inaugurated by the end of 2011.
Today's ceremony was also attended by Finance Minister Ivan Suker and Economy Minister Djuro Popijac.
(Hina)