According to media reports, the new US President was interested to invest in Croatia six years ago.
Many of the world’s billionaires and businesspeople have shown interest in investing in Brijuni islands in Croatia, but so far the only real investor was and still is Paul Kupelwieser, an industrialist who in the early 20th century turned the islands into an elite resort. Brijuni have since withered, and in the last fifteen years they were surveyed by many powerful and rich entrepreneurs, among them reportedly the former president of the prestigious Italian fashion company Brioni Umberto Angeloni who in 2004 started a polo tournament on the islands which was abruptly discontinued after only three years, reports Glas Istre on February 2, 2017.
Although all investors were delighted with natural beauty and the position of the islands, the plans have not progressed beyond the initial interest stage. The major reasons are limitations contained in the spatial development plan, which are a consequence of the fact that Brijuni islands are a national park.
It is particularly interesting that in 2011 the islands were reportedly visited by a representative of Donald Trump, who met with Ratomir Ivičić, then director of the Brijuni Rivijera company which was established in order to invest in the islands and the coastal strip more than 20 kilometres long next to the islands. At the time, the representative spoke about the possibility that next time he visits Croatia he could come together with Trump, but that never happened.
It has been six years and Donald Trump, instead of coming to Brijuni and investing millions, has instead become president of the United States and will not be engaged in business for a while. Vladimir Kraljević, who is one of Trump’s long-time associates and is the owner of the license for Miss Universe beauty pageant in Croatia and Slovenia, explains that Trump has handed over his businesses to his sons Eric and Donald Jr., while his daughter Ivanka in involved in politics.
