Plenković in Imotski Announces New Express Road

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković spent Sunday in Imotski, where he took part in the town's Day and the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels celebrations. He was joined by Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Radman and Tourism and Sports Minister Tonči Glavina. The central Mass at the Topana fortress was led by the Bishop of Banja Luka, Mons. Željko Majić.

The festivities began with a traditional reveille by the Imotski City Brass Orchestra and a ceremonial session of the City Council. The procession with the image of Our Lady of the Angels set off at 6 p.m. from the Church of St. Francis toward Topana, where Mass was celebrated at 6:40 p.m. "The atmosphere here at Topana, one of the historic medieval Dalmatian fortresses, is truly wonderful-a crowd of people and a beautiful sermon by Bishop Željko Majić of Banja Luka," Plenković said, as reported by Index.hr.

Zagvozd-Imotski Express Road a Priority

Commenting on the traffic congestion plaguing the region, the PM stressed that the Zagvozd-Imotski express road is among the key projects. "Mr. Budimir, the head of Croatian Roads, a Dalmatian himself, has been tasked with tackling several of these crucial transport challenges. One of them is this express road from Zagvozd to Imotski," Plenković said, as reported by Jutarnji list. He added that work is also underway on the Split-Omiš route and the southern corridor from Ston to Dubrovnik, with project documentation in preparation. "I believe the documentation is being drawn up and things will speed up," he announced.

Response to the Migrant Crisis in Ceuta

The PM also commented on a letter he co-signed with other EU leaders, which, as he posted on Twitter, was addressed to European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The number of signatories varies by source: Plenković wrote on Twitter that he co-signed with 21 leaders, while Radio NU reports that 22 EU member state leaders signed the letter. According to him, the letter expresses concern over the mass influx of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. "The letter is an expression of concern over what happened. We haven't seen such a situation in many years, albeit on African soil. The police action, in which 95 percent of people were returned across the border to Morocco, was welcomed," Radio NU quotes Plenković as saying.

He stressed that no one in Europe wants a repeat of the 2015 migrant crisis. "That's why we've all strengthened our borders," he said. Asked about Italy's suspension of the Schengen regime toward Spain, Plenković said Italy's reaction was expected given the country's long-standing exposure to illegal migration.

Preparations for Knin and Transport Challenges

Speaking about the congestion at the border with Montenegro, the PM explained that the school year in Bavaria has ended and summer holidays have begun, prompting a large number of travelers, mostly Albanian nationals living in Western Europe, to head to Albania via Croatia. "In any case, we need to finish the Dubrovnik-Čilipi express road and continue toward the border with Montenegro, but the new entry-exit system is also slowing things down somewhat," he said.

He also touched on the upcoming Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day celebrations in Knin. "We are always in Knin. The program has been agreed upon; we had a final briefing after the government session on Thursday, and I expect everything to be dignified," Plenković said.

Rich Cultural and Entertainment Program

In the evening, the celebration continued with musical performances at several locations across the town. On Matica hrvatska Square, 43VER and DJ Brusy performed, the band Centrifuga played near the municipal building, and DJ Ante Jakir spun tunes at the new town market. The Feast of Our Lady of the Angels, traditionally celebrated on August 2, this year drew thousands of faithful and pilgrims, preserving the tradition and heritage of the Imotski region.