Former Military Property Minerska Assigned to Šibenik-Knin County

President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović on Thursday in Šibenik, during the signing of the contract for the assignment of the former military property Minerska to Šibenik-Knin County for the construction of a visitor center, stated that in the counties she has visited so far, the departure of the population and the management of state property have proven to be the biggest problems, and she thanked the Minister of State Property Goran Marić for finally addressing the issue of managing military property.

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“I thank Minister Marić for enabling us to arrange this signing during the relocation of the office to Šibenik-Knin County. I must emphasize that after visiting fifteen counties, the two biggest problems that crystallized on the ground are demographics and the issue of managing state property and its decay, as well as the retention and halt of various development projects. I thank Minister Marić for finally addressing this issue; this result shows how good the government’s decision is to elevate the resolution of state property to the level of the ministry and to give it the appropriate significance. We have established that this is one of the key cornerstones in development projects, but also in investments in the Republic of Croatia. I am glad that projects that have been stalled for years are finally being resolved,” emphasized the President of the Republic.

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The assignment of the former military property in Uvala Minerska to Šibenik-Knin County is a condition for the construction of a visitor center, which is envisioned as a living room for the fortress of St. Nicholas, which is under UNESCO protection. This is the second phase of the project for the tourist valorization of the St. Anthony Channel in Šibenik presented in 2010.

County Prefect Goran Pauk emphasized that the opening of the promenade in the St. Anthony Channel is one of the greatest turning points in the tourist history of Šibenik and one of the first successfully realized European projects. “Minister Marić recognized our long-standing initiative, not to say struggle, and made it possible for this exceptionally valuable space to be handed over for management to the citizens of Šibenik and the County. By obtaining the Minerska space for management, all property-legal conditions for the implementation of the second phase of the tourist valorization project in the St. Anthony Channel have been resolved,” he said.

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The Minerska project is crucial for the successful management of the fortress of St. Nicholas according to UNESCO standards, and Minerska, as the center of the buffer zone and a visitor center for the presentation of natural and cultural heritage, is becoming the access center for the entire area with all accompanying facilities,” emphasized County Prefect Goran Pauk. He added that this year the signing of contracts from European funds for the project of arranging the visitor center worth 26 million kuna is forthcoming, which will, he said, make Uvala Minerska the living room of the people of Šibenik and an important factor in creating the tourist offer.

The Minister of State Property Goran Marić emphasized that the area of the former barracks in Uvala Minerska is being returned to the people of Šibenik in this way and assessed that the projects in Minerska and in the area of the former Electrode and Ferroalloy Factory (TEF) will change the face of Šibenik.

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“I share the satisfaction with the County Prefect that I had the opportunity today to sign the contract in the presence of the President. Is there a more beautiful message than that we are making available to the people a space that served a historically questionable institution like the JNA? What a paradox that something that caused discomfort and unpleasantness is today becoming a place of affirmation. Imagine, military hangars were a storage of fear, and today they are becoming the visitor center of the St. Anthony Channel. I want everyone to get used to this shock and future reality. The Ministry of State Property has made an effort to achieve this,” said Minister Goran Marić, who also met with all the mayors and heads of municipalities in the County area today.

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The President will, as part of her third day of stay in Šibenik-Knin County, where she has temporarily relocated her office, visit the islands of the Šibenik archipelago: Žirje, Prvić, and Murter, and meet with fishermen in Tribunj.