Government endorses transport development strategy until 2030

Photo VItic_Kockica.jpg

The government sent to parliament on Thursday a national transport development strategy for the period 2017-30 which, according to Transport Minister Oleg Butkovic, provides a framework for the development of Croatia's transport sector.

The strategy defines 16 goals, 37 specific goals and 118 measures divided into six transport sectors - rail, road, air, sea and river, public city, local and regional transport.

The adoption of the strategy provides for the unconditional spending of EU funds for more than 20 transport projects worth EUR 2 billion in total, Butkovic said.

He highlighted the construction of Peljesac Bridge and access roads, the procurement of diesel-electric trains, the upgrade of the tram infrastructure in Osijek and Zagreb, the procurement of new trams and boats for the transport of passengers to islands, and the completion of Dubrovnik Airport.

The government also adopted a programme of aid for structural reforms in the 2017-20 period. Economy Minister Martina Dalic said the programme listed 15 projects worth EUR 1.8 million which would be directly financed by the European Commission and were aimed at supporting the implementation of the national structural reform programme.

The government sent to parliament a final housing consumer credit bill, which Finance Minister Zdravko Maric said would increase consumer protection. The bill also improves the quality of credit services, reduces the foreign currency risk as well as the risk of over-indebtedness, he added.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said the final bill was aligned with the European acquis and aimed at better informing and protecting consumers as well as enhancing legal certainty.