EU Pre-Accession Funds as a Source of Funding for the Traffic Infrastructure in the Republic of Croatia

• Main Authors: Marinko Jurčević, Danijela Barić, Bruno Herceg
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Economics in Osijek 2011-12-01
• Series: Ekonomski Vjesnik
• Subjects: Traffic infrastructure; investment; pre-accession funds; IPA
• Online Access: http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/113170
• ISSN: 0353-359X; 1847-2206

The main network of traffic infrastructure in the Republic of Croatia consists of: roads, railways, sea ports of national importance, ports of inland navigable waterways, airports and terminals for combined transport. Investment in new traffic infrastructure is one of the prerequisites for continuous sustainable development. Over the past ten years intensive investments have been made almost solely in road infrastructure, especially highways. Nowadays this investment cycle has reached its final stage. The cycle of investment in railway infrastructure is yet to begin, and it is necessary due to inadequacy of railway infrastructure, primarily on pan-European corridors where it has to meet European standards. The investment cycle is expected to last for at least fifteen years. The construction of highways was mostly funded from the state budget and partially from concessions. The construction and modernisation of the railway network, especially the section that is an integral part of pan-European traffic corridors (Corridor X), may also be funded from pre-accession funds. Croatia currently uses funds from IPA, and its third component, Regional development, is of particular importance. Before IPA Croatia used funds from ISPA for railway reconstruction, from which reconstruction of the railway route Vinkovci – Tovarnik was funded.