The government on Wednesday invited interested energy companies to apply for permits for oil and gas exploration and extraction, for seven localities in northwestern and central Croatia, and in the central Slavonia region in the east of the country.

Energy Minister, Tomislav Coric, said that the localities do not include existing fields, or any protected national parks or nature parks.

In June 2016, the government led by then Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic signed a contract on the exploration and exploitation on five land locations with the Croatian oil firm Ina and Canada’s Vermilion Energy.

Coric said that the new permits represents a continuation of plans begun that year, and that the goal is to find new oil and gas fields suitable for exploration in the continental parts of the country.

The government-issued permits for each locality will have a maximum duration of 30 years, which includes exploration and exploitaton.

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