Split Mayor Ivica Puljak called on Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Sunday to "stop blocking the development" of Split, while the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure dismissed such a claim and reminded him of the projects that have been launched.

Speaking of the granting of a concession for the city’s Znjan beach, Puljak told N1 Television that Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Minister, Oleg Butkovic, had said on a number of occasions that, as far as the ministry was concerned, everything was ready and that it was forwarded to Plenković to put it on the government’s agenda.

“I invite Prime Minister Plenkovic… to finally decide who will get the concession so that the project can really be realised. I hope the concession will go to the Znjan d.o.o. company, which is a city company, and that we will start realising that project,” Puljak said, adding that the realisation was almost six months late.

“I think Plenkovic should stop blocking the development of the City of Split and that he should move away from cheap politics. He should realise that they lost this election, he should get over it in a way and he really must not hold this city back any longer. I think the problem now is him,” Puljak said, referring to Plenković’s HDZ party and local elections this past May.

The Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure said Puljak’s claims that Plenkovic was blocking Split’s development by allegedly procrastinating with a decision on the Žnjan concession were “entirely unfounded and incorrect.”

The granting of said concession passed regular government procedure and the opinions of the relevant state bodies are now being collected so that a decision on who will get the concession can be made, the ministry said.

It added that the Plenkovic cabinet was doing everything for Split to develop as much as possible, and mentioned the transport projects that have been launched as well as a 42.6 million kuna reconstruction project in the city port.