The Split Office of the Chief Public Prosecutor (DORH) has notified members of the Split-Dalmatia County Assembly that a part of land in Marjan Forest Park overlooking the city of Split is the maritime domain and could not have been sold, so accordingly a contract on the sale of the plot in question is null and void.
The maritime domain covers 1,316 square metres out of a total of 5,000 square metres which was bought by Split Mayor Zeljko Kerum's wife Fani Horvat in 2008. Fani Horvat's company bought the plot on the Prva Voda beach, which is part of the park, to build a restaurant.
According to the prosecutor's written notification, which was discussed by the County Assembly on Thursday, the 1,316 square metres of the land must be entered into land books as maritime domain, which is why the sale contract is unlawful.
The Assembly decided to postpone a decision on the County's pre-emptive right to buy real property and that plot in Marjan Forest Park.
County Prefect Ante Sanader said that the County could not exercise that right due to a lack of money.
Commenting on the notification, Mayor Zeljko Kerum said that his wife should be compensated for the reduction of the plot. "I guess when you take something away, you should pay for it," the mayor told a local radio.
In mid-January, several thousand residents of the biggest Croatian Adriatic city held a protest rally demanding a ban on the construction of any bars or restaurants on that location and objecting in particular to Horvat's plan to build a restaurant and bar there.
At the rally, journalist Jurica Pavicic read out on behalf od the organisers demands to ban any construction in the protected area until its physical plan was adopted and to strike from a new general physical plan any construction throughout Marjan Forest Park. He said that the plan by the mayor's wife to build a restaurant in the protected area was a case of outright conflict of interest and abuse of office.
