Zadar County has initiated proceedings that could lead to the termination of the concession agreement for the managed public beach in Novigrad. An inspection revealed that the concessionaire had failed to meet contractual obligations, leading to the company, SURF NOVI, being asked to address the identified deficiencies or provide an explanation to the county authorities as to why the contract should not be terminated.
The matter was raised at the previous session of the County Assembly by SDP councillor Jure Zubčić, who highlighted potential misuse of the sea shore. He stated that the area designated for the beach, where parking fees were to be collected, had been converted into a private parking lot for the residents of the building. He noted that parking fees had been set at 20 euros per hour, or 800 euros for a monthly pass. Zubčić assessed that this was a way to formally meet the conditions of the concession, while simultaneously securing parking for the building's residents, and requested that the County invalidate the concession.
The head of the Department for Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, Krešimir Laštro, clarified that the concession agreement with the company SURF NOVI was signed on 21 March 2025. The concession relates to the commercial use of the managed public beach, without the possibility of enclosing the area or charging an entry fee. It covers the rental of sunbeds and parasols, hospitality services, and the provision, organisation, and charging for parking. The contract does not provide for the construction of new buildings, and the concessionaire was required to establish the concession by 21 March 2026.
The commission responsible for monitoring the implementation of concession decisions and agreements conducted an inspection of the site on 27 May. The inspection found that parking fees were not being collected, neither via a parking meter nor by a member of staff. It was also determined that the hospitality venue was not operational and that a use permit had not been issued for it.
The Law on Concessions and the agreement itself allow the County to unilaterally terminate the contract if the concessionaire fails to meet contractual obligations, does not use the concession, or uses it for purposes other than those for which it was granted. The County has called on the concessionaire to rectify the reasons for the potential termination of the contract or to provide a statement regarding the identified irregularities. The procedure is ongoing, and no decision has yet been made to terminate the concession, but the process has been initiated which could lead to such an outcome.
