After the mayor of Vrsar, Franko Štifanić, requested last week that the tourism company Maistra retroactively pay 50 million kuna for the use of municipal land, Maistra proposed a new agreement to the municipality, a public-private partnership contract that would ensure the sustainability of the company’s operations on one side, while continuing investments in the destination on the other.
– Every investment in the tourism sector, especially large-scale investments like those taking place in Vrsar for years, requires the security of long-term operations and the support and partnership of the local community, especially since tourism, like few other economic sectors, has its multiplicative effects. The benefits of Maistra’s investments are, in fact, for the entire destination. – stated Kristian Šustar, CEO of Maistra, at a press conference. Maistra offers Vrsar the appointment of one member to the Supervisory Board of the company, a commitment that in the next 10 years, along with investments in its facilities and in agreement with the Municipality of Vrsar, it will invest 20 million kuna in Vrsar’s infrastructure, of which 10 million kuna will go to education, sports, and culture. The Municipality of Vrsar would establish a building right in favor of Maistra for all parcels owned by the Municipality on which Maistra will build facilities (a new hotel in the 4 or 5-star category and a golf course) for a period of 30 years – free of charge. Maistra is ready to pay the Municipality of Vrsar a one-time amount of 3 million kuna. It should be noted that Štifanić is asking the company to pay three euros per square meter of land, which is quite a high fee, and he does not want to wait for the state to pass the Law on Tourist Land, which Maistra insisted on, as he would certainly receive less.
