Islanders Will No Longer Have to Travel to Zadar for Personal Documents
Residents of Ugljan and Pašman will now submit requests for ID cards, passports, and driver's licenses in Preko, eliminating the previous need to travel to the mainland.
Residents of Ugljan and Pašman will now submit requests for ID cards, passports, and driver's licenses in Preko, eliminating the previous need to travel to the mainland.
Interior Minister Davor Božinović today presented the newly renovated police office in Preko, resolving a long-standing issue for residents of Ugljan, Pašman, and surrounding islands who had to travel to Zadar for administrative procedures. The office, worth nearly 300,000 euros, will be accessible to citizens 365 days a year.
The new location in Preko is expected to eliminate the daily complications of island life. Going to Zadar to renew an ID card or obtain a passport often meant coordinating with ferry schedules, additional transportation costs, and losing most of the day. Although these services should be equally accessible to all citizens, islanders have so far been at a disadvantage.
Božinović announced that the scope of work at the new office will gradually expand, so it will not remain just a place for basic administrative requests. The relocation of some staff and equipment from the maritime department of Zadar's airport and maritime police to Preko will enable faster responses to incidents in the Zadar archipelago. This is particularly important during the summer months, as there are currently around 40,000 tourists on Ugljan and Pašman, significantly increasing the number of people, vessels, and potential interventions.
The renovation of the space was jointly funded and prepared by the Ministry of the Interior, Zadar County, and the island municipalities. Although the project is presented as a result of cooperation, for citizens the key will be whether the office has enough staff, regular working hours, and whether it truly performs all the announced services. The invested funds will make sense if the office operates year-round and meets the actual needs of residents.
For the local population, this is real news: reduced travel, lower costs, and faster access to institutions that were previously within reach but made a big difference due to the ferry ride.
