Croatian ferry fares for passengers won’t rise this summer

Split (Photo credit: Andrew Buchanan/Unsplash)

ZAGREB, May 28 (Hina) – Transport and Infrastructure Minister Oleg Butkovic on Thursday issued an instruction on postponing the usual seasonal increase in ferry passenger fares on all routes, the ministry has informed.

Minister Butkovic made this decision to grant the request which the Island Assembly, an association promoting the interests of islands and their inhabitants, sent to the Agency for the Coastal Maritime Traffic Lines.

“The ministry had made this decision according to the current situation caused by the coronavirus epidemic which has impacted the entire economic situation in Croatia. The intention is to facilitate access to the islands… and boost economic activity and tourism along the coast and on the islands,” the ministry said in a press release.

The Split-Dalmatia County branch of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Thursday welcomed Transport Minister Oleg Butkovic’s decision not to apply a seasonal increase in the ferry passenger tickets, which should have entered into force as of Friday.

“I welcome the decision – it’s logical. I hope that conditions will be achieved soon so that we can introduce the summer timetable and prices, but we are faced with a corona timetable, prices and transport,” SDP’s coordinator for the 10th electoral constituency, Arsen Bauk said.

Bauk added that this was a good decision by the minister.

Mayor of Supetar on the island of Brac, Ivana Markovic of the SDP, expressed satisfaction with the postponement of the summer ferry fares’ increase, which was to have started as of tomorrow in passenger transport.

“There is not one justifiable reason to start with the summer tariffs tomorrow,” Markovic underlined.