New airport in the heart of Dalmatia planned to compete with Split and Zadar   

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“Srce Dalmacije” (Heart of Dalmatia) an airport project in Pokrovnik, located halfway between Šibenik and Drniš on the Dalmatian coast, is moving forward despite all doubts, daily Slobodna Dalmacija reported today. 

After the government allocated a symbolic amount of 200,000 kuna for a conceptual solution in the revised budget of 2021, which was subsequently completed, the amendment proposed by four representatives from the Šibenik-Knin County was adopted at the end of November last year. 

The representatives, Branka Juričev-Martinčev, Josip Begonja, Franko Vidović and Hrvoje Zekanović secured half a million euros for the complete documentation required for the airport’s construction. 

The idea of building an airport in Šibenik has been discussed – or more accurately, dreamed about – or decades. However, this idea did not remain just a dream, as Pokrovnik has now been included in the State Air Transport Strategy, the Spatial Plan of the Šibenik-Knin County, and the General Urban Plan of the City of Drniš, to which the area administratively belongs, Slobodna Dalmacija writes. 

Zekanović, a member of parliament who has been advocating for this idea since the beginning of his political career, has now reached the moment when the company “Srce Dalmacije” will be established. This company will continue working on realizing this idea, and the initial investment of half a million euros will be allocated and utilized appropriately.

Until now, tenders have been published through the Regional Development Agency of the Šibenik-Knin County, but now the project will be intensified, leading to this step. Zekanović maintains constant communication with Minister Oleg Butković, whose Ministry of Transport will have a 55% ownership stake in this company. The remaining founding capital will be held by the cities in the Šibenik-Knin County and the County itself, all of whom have already signed a letter of intent to that effect.

The representative bodies, the County Assembly and councils of the five towns – Šibenik, Drniš, Knin, Vodice, and Skradin – should now confirm the proposal for the social contract establishing this new company, which will be formed by the state. Zekanović, who is proud of successfully lobbying for and pushing forward this project despite the existence of airports in Split and Zadar for over half a century, clarifies that the “Srce Dalmacije” airport will compete with Split’s Resnik Airport and Zadar’s Zemunik Airport. 

They will vie for the market, including passengers and cargo transportation. Additionally, the airport aligns with Šibenik’s increasing development ambitions, remarkable utilization of EU funds, and growing tourist traffic. The county boasts two national parks and the soon-to-be-established Dinara Nature Park, making the plans for a new airport less surprising than they would have been just a few years ago.

Zekanović emphasizes that when speaking about Pokrovnik, he is not referring to a small sports-oriented airport but rather stating that the conceptual solution envisions a 2800-meter-long runway capable of accommodating large aircraft and allowing for future expansion. 

He acknowledges that this will not happen overnight; it is a process that will develop over years and decades. Nevertheless, Pokrovnik holds significant potential as the Split airport is limited due to its unfavorable location, with planes taking off and landing over a densely populated urban area encompassing Kaštela and Trogir. 

Pokrovnik does not face these issues, and moreover, the entire area is state-owned, comprising approximately 2.5 million square meters available for use. This development can greatly contribute not only to the tourist and economic revaluation of Šibenik but also Drniš, Knin, and the entire county.

The fast road connecting Šibenik, Drniš, and Knin, which quickly provides access to any part of the county, is naturally intertwined with this endeavor. 

Along with the Dalmatian coast, it allows for easy travel to any corner of the region, from Murter to Rogoznica, from Strmica to Šibenik, and further by boat to all the islands, including Kaprije and Žirje.