Potpisan ugovor o gradnji poddionice autoceste A7 od Jadranova do Selca

The Croatian government has approved funding through the National Plan for Recovery and Resilience (NPOO) for the “Electronic Toll Collection System” project, valued at over 160 million euros. The decision was made during a cabinet meeting on Thursday, with the aim of modernizing the toll collection system on highways managed by Hrvatske autoceste (HAC) and its concessionaires, Autocesta Zagreb-Macelj (AZM) and BINA Istra. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure will act as a partner in the project. According to the explanation accompanying the decision, the acceptable costs, amounting to 115.6 million euros, include design and implementation of the new electronic toll collection system, professional supervision, procurement of equipment, digital and user functionalities, toll collection monitoring, data storage, project management, administration, promotion, and visibility. Unacceptable costs, totaling 44.9 million euros, include value-added tax of 29.3 million euros and operational expenses, maintenance costs, and other unspecified expenses amounting to 15.6 million euros. The Ministry had previously issued a call for the allocation of non-repayable funds for this project on June 17, following procedures outlined under the NPOO. After receiving project proposals and conducting all necessary checks, the decision on funding and the signing of a grant agreement will follow. The government also gave prior approval to the Ministry for taking on obligations using state budget funds in 2027, amounting to 74.6 million euros, which includes the decision on financing the project and signing the grant agreement. The electronic toll collection system, according to the Law on Toll Collection, is scheduled to be implemented starting March 1, 2027. Additionally, the government has provided state guarantees and prior approval for long-term credit financing for Hrvatske autoceste (HAC). This includes a loan of up to 2.1 billion euros, plus interest, reimbursements, and costs, for the refinancing of a long-term bridge loan signed on September 25, 2023, with Hrvatska poštarna banka (HPB). Part of the funds (Tranche A) will be used to refinance the existing long-term bridge loan from 2023, while the remaining part (Tranche B) will finance new investments in highways, including the construction of new sections of the A1 motorway from Metković to the Pelješac Bridge to Dubrovnik and the A7 motorway from Križišće to Novi Vinodolski to Žuta Lokva. The government also granted state guarantees and prior approval for long-term credit financing with Privredna banka Zagreb (PBZ) up to 100 million euros, plus interest, reimbursements, and costs, at a fixed annual rate of 2.73 percent and a one-time reimbursement of 0.10 percent upfront on the approved loan amount. This financing will support the projects and business plans of Hrvatske cesta for 2026. Construction work on the 6.6-kilometer bypass around Orebić, worth nearly 49.4 million euros, began on Wednesday in Orebić. The project aims to relieve traffic congestion in the town’s center, especially during the tourist season. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Spatial Planning, Construction, and State Property Branko Bačić emphasized that the bypass will contribute to further economic development in Orebić. He noted that the bypass is the first phase of the future “Pelješkian corridor,” followed by three more phases to build the northern section from the Pelješac Bridge to the port of Perna. The total investment in two projects in Orebić and the port of Perna amounts to 70 million euros, with additional investments on Pelješac and Korčula reaching 250 million euros. The bypass will improve the quality of life for residents and ensure uninterrupted traffic between Orebić and Korčula, as well as from Korčula to the interior. The works are being carried out by the Croatian company Texo Molior in partnership with the Turkish firm Yapi Merkezi Insaat Ve Sanayi. Six underpasses, one viaduct, and two culverts will be constructed, with completion expected within 24 months. In Crikvenica, a contract for the construction of the sub-section of the A7 motorway from Jadranovo to Selce, valued at 252 million euros, was signed on Friday between Hrvatske autoceste (HAC) and the consortium of bidders. The project spans 12.3 kilometers and will feature 11 viaducts and bridges, eight tunnels, and a completion deadline of 42 months, with construction beginning in autumn. Director Kristjan Mugerli of the company Kolektor CPG expressed confidence that the consortium would complete the task efficiently and on time, citing their experience with major projects such as the D-403 road in Rijeka and the bypass in Novi Vinodolski. Minister Oleg Butković highlighted that the construction of the A7 motorway from Križišće to Selce continues after the signing of the contract for the Križišće-Jadranovo section earlier this year. He noted that the Primorsko-goranska county is completing its highway network, making it one of the few regions in Croatia connected by highways. The government is investing approximately 400 million euros via the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure and HAC in these two sections of the motorway. These funds are exclusively from HAC, which can now rebuild highways after restructuring. He emphasized that this motorway represents the first major infrastructure investment in the region in over 45 years, following the construction of viaducts and the bypass in Crikvenica. The ceremony was attended by Crikvenica mayor Ivona Matošić Gašparović and deputy Primorsko-goranski county administrator Robert Matić. Meanwhile, in Zagreb, construction on the intersection of Savska Street and Vukovar Street, where tramway infrastructure is being renovated, is underway despite temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius. Work started in July and will continue until the end of August, affecting tram services along Vukovarska Street towards Držićevo. Traffic through the intersection will be restricted, and parts of the junction may be inaccessible to vehicles. Other major construction sites in Zagreb include the reconstruction of the intersection of Zvonimirova and Šubićeve streets, with work expected to continue throughout the summer.