They claim that local elections could have an unexpected consequence for visitors coming to Croatia.
An interesting warning has recently appeared in the Austrian and German media. Tourists planning to spend some time this summer on the Croatian coast and islands are warned that, because of the local elections in Croatia, they could be left without beach chairs and parasols on Croatia’s major beaches, reports Jutarnji List on June 3, 2017.
They note that in many communities along the coast, new town and municipal mayors will be elected only after this Sunday’s second round of local elections, which means that concessions for the beaches and for setting up beach chairs and parasols will be granted in late June at the earliest. German news agency DPA adds that permits are usually given mainly to those companies which support the local authorities.
”While the tourist season is already in full swing in June, many visitors will be forced to take their place on the hard ground or bring along their own stuff”, the media reports say.
The German media also did not forget to mention a recent political scandal with the most famous beach in Croatia, the Zlatni Rat beach on the island of Brač, when a concession was given to a company with literally no employees, but close to local officials. After the scandal had broken out, the Prefect of Split-Dalmatia County decided against running for re-election.
Austrian media also pointed out that Germans and Austrians were among the most important and largest groups of foreign tourists coming to the Croatian part of the Adriatic coast.
Although it is true that local elections, which are always scheduled in late May and early June, do take place a little too late given the beginning of tourist season, there is no doubt that local authorities and entrepreneurs are ready for the arrival of visitors, especially given the fact that income from tourism in by far the most important source of revenues for many local budgets and companies.
