The mile-and-a-half-long bridge spans the Adriatic Sea to connect mainland Croatia with the Peljesac peninsula in the south, allowing easier access to the country’s most important tourist destination – the medieval walled city of Dubrovnik Croatians rushed early on Tuesday to be among the first to cross the Peljesac Bridge on foot as it accepted pedestrians ahead of the official opening ceremony scheduled for the evening. It was to open to road traffic after the ceremony. Co-financed by the European Union and built by a Chinese company, the sleek, six-pillar cable-stayed bridge is a rare venture of its kind amid concerns in Europe about China’s drive to boost its economic influence through infrastructure investment, known as of the Belt and Road Initiative. State broadcaster HRT described the opening of the bridge as “a historic day that generations have been waiting for”. “This is a big day for Croatia,” said Andrej Plenkovic, the Croatian prime minister. “Let’s enjoy it today!” The map shows Croatia and Bosnia, with an inset highlighting the latter’s coastline (Getty) Croatia and Bosnia were two of the six republics that made up Yugoslavia. When the communist state fell apart in the early 1990s, Croatia’s Adriatic Sea coastline was separated by a narrow strip of Bosnia. Both residents and tourists had to pass border checks, which slowed traffic and left residents of the southern region feeling isolated from the rest of the country. This area includes Dubrovnik, a medieval city with a place on the Unesco protected heritage list that is Croatia’s biggest tourist attraction. People run over Peljesac bridge in Komarna village (EPA) The bridge was in the works for years before it finally secured funding in 2017, when the EU provided €357 million (£300 million), which covered much of the €526 million cost. China Road and Bridge Corporation in 2018 won an international tender to build the bridge. The project, however, had faced criticism from Bosnia, whose officials complained of unresolved border issues and said the bridge would block access to the stretch of coastline. Known for its nature and hundreds of islands in the Adriatic Sea, Croatia is a major tourist destination, attracting millions from Europe and around the world every summer. Tourism is also key to Croatia’s economy, which remains among the weakest in the EU. Additional reporting by The Associated Press
