The Mayor of Dubrovnik, Andro Vlahusic, said on Wednesday that the decision by the Ministry of Public Administration to approve the petition for a referendum on the construction of a golf course and accommodation facilities on Srdj hill overlooking Dubrovnik was expected.
"We expected such a decision from the ministry," Vlahusic said, adding that the City Council would meet next week after consultations. He said that the City of Dubrovnik had secured about HRK 300,000 for the referendum and expressed hope that residents of Dubrovnik would turn out for the referendum in large numbers.
Several nongovernmental organisations welcomed the decision, urging the local authorities to organise the referendum on the same day as local elections, on May 19.
The project investor Golf Park Dubrovnik was also pleased with the ministry's decision and that the citizens of Dubrovnik would have a chance to decide on the project. It said it believed that a majority of citizens would vote in favour of the project.
The company noted that the ministry had decided to grant the request for the referendum only a day after European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso drew attention to the importance of this investment project.
The company said that the ministry's decision would certainly remove the last obstacle to the investment and would lead to job creation, stressing that the project would eventually have positive effects on Dubrovnik and its surroundings.
