December the 18th, 2024 – Armed guards are set to be placed on Krk Bridge, and the reason lies in the bridge’s status as a piece of critical Croatian infrastructure.
As Morski writes, the 1,430-metre-long Krk Bridge connects the island of Krk to the mainland. It is crossed by approximately 30,000 cars each single day during the height of the summer, and it’s set to receive round-the-clock protection in 2025.
The reinforced concrete Krk Bridge will be protected 26,280 hours annually by armed security guards. According to Croatian Roads (Hrvatske ceste), this practice is far from uncommon and is in perfect line with the Critical Infrastructure Act, as reported by Rijeka danas/Rijeka today.
According to Croatian Roads, Krk Bridge is classified as part of the critical infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia. That law defines facilities such as the bridge as being crucial to national security, and possible disruption could cause serious consequences for people, property, the environment and the country’s overall stability. That’s why the Threat Assessment and Bridge Protection Plan were initially developed, which include systematic measures to prevent potential threats, and Krk Bridge is firmly in that plan.
Back at the end of November, Croatian Roads announced a public tender for the protection service for Krk Bridge for the entire year of 2025. The value of the job is estimated to stand at around 280,000 euros. The selected contractor will be required to hire a minimum of three security guards who will work in shifts 24 hours a day, seven days per week.
the tasks of the future armed guards of krk bridge:
Regular patrols of the bridge and the surrounding area: On foot and by car
Maintaining peace and order: Preventing access by unauthorised persons and stopping suspicious activities
Keeping records: Monitoring events on Krk Bridge, cooperating with the police and reporting on all regular and extraordinary events
The identification of people: Recording of all Croatian Roads employees and other such authorised persons
Security guard equipment and technology
The security guards will be equipped with:
Short firearms
Handheld radio transceiver or mobile phone
Handheld flashlight, megaphone and binoculars
In addition, the implementation of an accurate electronic tracking system is planned. The arrival and departure of the security guards will be recorded digitally, and detour routes will be monitored in real time. Regular reports and photos of the patrols will serve to ensure the efficiency of the system.
a brief history of History of Krk Bridge Surveillance
This isn’t actually the first time Krk Bridge has been placed under surveillance. Croatian Motorways (Hrvatske autoceste) hired a similar security service back in 2022. At that time, the security guards had a secured workroom equipped with heating, electricity, telephone, sanitary facilities and a changing room.
According to Croatian Motorways, Krk Bridge is considered a facility of national importance owing to its strategic role in traffic connectivity and the prevention of illegal activities.
