Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor inaugurated an 18-kilometre dual carriageway section of the Istrian Y motorway from Kanfanar to Rogovici at the Rogovici junction on Saturday.
The investment in the section amounted to EUR 72 million. The opening of the section for traffic marked the completion of the first stage of the motorway's upgrading, works that cost EUR 326 million.
Kosor said the Istrian Y was of outstanding importance for economic development in Istria County, adding that the government had invested about HRK 4 billion in the construction of roads and motorways this year.
Kosor said the opening of this section meant more investment in tourism, adding that about 90 per cent of tourists arrived in Croatia by road and that this was a huge advantage.
"All this gains in meaning when put in the context of Croatia in 2013, when our state will become a member of the European Union. We are investing in the future and I can already say that we will welcome 1 July 2013 ready. Until then and after that nothing will be easy, but we will certainly turn a new page," said Kosor.
County Prefect Ivan Jakovcic thanked the government for the cooperation to date, saying that this project would not have been done without it. He said the Istrian Y was a "reality thanks to genuine and serious cooperation" between all levels of government, adding that it had raised the quality of life in Istria and tourism competitiveness, as one could now arrive in Austria in one hour, in Italy in 40 minutes and in Slovenia in half an hour.
David Gabelica, director-general of the Bina Istra company, said 45 km more of dual carriageway had to be built to connect the Y with Zagreb, adding that the company expected to be issued construction permits in the summer of 2012 and that the works were estimated at EUR 300 million.
Accompanied by Jakovcic, Kosor also visited the construction site of a new general hospital in the seaport of Pula.
On July 28, the government, Istria County and the hospital signed an agreement on the financing of the construction works. After a tender to collect funds for the construction which, according to Kosor, is estimated at HRK 800 million, the government will adopt a decision to give a state guarantee. Construction is expected to begin in mid-2012.
Jakovcic said the international tender could be called in about 10 days and that it would probably last two months.
