Internet remembers just about everything, so today I stumbled upon a story from December 28th, 1999, in which Jure Radić, then-Deputy Prime Minister (since deceased) officially starts the works on the construction of the Korčula Airport, near Smokvica*. If you’re wondering whatever happened to the construction of the airport, the short answer is – nothing. Zoning for it was allegedly done, some basic works were done and stopped and nothing was really achieved.
Next mention of Korčula airport online comes in 2008, when Jutarnji list reports that plans that existed for Spanish investors to build an airport on Korčula were cancelled, because local and national governing bodies decided that the conditions set forth by the foreign investors were not acceptable, as they included significant local investments into infrastructure, which would serve to support their investments into the airport, hotels, marina and golf courses. The location of the planned airport remained the same, near Smokvica, and then, in 2008 it was announced that a Croatian-owned company would be created with the goal of constructing and operating the airport.
What happened to those plans we don’t know. In 2013, talks were held again, strengthening plans to build the airport, during which it was mentioned that some of the permits needed for this project have expired, due to years of inactivity. Of course, in the meantime, there was air travel happening on Korčula, with seaplanes operating from Lumbarda and Vela Luka during one tourist season.
Korčula Online reports today that once again, the initiative to build the airport near Smokvica has been revived. A meeting was held in Smokvica, attended by representatives from all 5 local administrations on the island, to discuss development of the future Korčula airport. One interesting piece of information from the Korčula Online report is that a group of Chinese investors was present at the meeting. Unfortunately, the article does not identify them in any way, just says that they are ready to invest over 80 million euro in the project of Korčula airport! As soon as we know more about the misterious Chinese investors, we will report further. In the meeting, Smokvica commisioner Kuzma Tomašić expressed his hope that this time the project will be successful, and that first planes will be landing near Smokvica in 5 or 6 years. We certainly hope he’s right!
* – one relevant background piece of information you might find relevant to the story if you’re a cynic like myself is that the parliamentary elections were held on January 3rd, 2000, in which Radić’s HDZ lost, after a full decade of being in power
