Is the concessionaire JTH Costabella allowed to close the beach to citizens who are not hotel guests?

No, they are not. The Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure clearly confirmed in its statement from May 2023 that the concessionaire has no right to deny access to the beach.

Is this statement from the Ministry final?

Yes, the published documents represent the official position of the relevant ministry and provide a legal conclusion to the years-long debates about access to Kostabela Beach.

Does this decision apply only to Kostabela or to all beaches?

Although the specific statement refers to the Kostabela case, the Ministry's position confirms the general principle that maritime property must be accessible to all citizens.

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Kostabela Beach Must Remain Open to All Citizens

Q: Who initiated the procedure for interpreting the concessionaire's rights?

The procedure was initiated in mid-April 2023 by the Administrative Department for Maritime Property, Transport and Communications of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, led by then-acting head Zlatan Marunić.

A.N. · Prije 13h | 2 min

As early as May 2023, the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure clearly told the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County that the concessionaire JTH Costabella has no right to deny access to visitors who are not hotel guests.

Summary

As early as May 2023, the Ministry of the Sea confirmed that JTH Costabella has no right to close the beach to citizens.
The case was initiated in April 2023 by a letter from the Administrative Department of the PGŽ County, led by acting head Zlatan Marunić.
The published documents finally resolve all doubts and confirm that the beach at Kostabela must remain open to everyone.
The decision protects the public interest and the right of citizens to unimpeded access to maritime property.

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The legal tangle surrounding access to the beach in front of the luxury hotel complex at Rijeka's Kostabela has received a clear response from the competent ministry. As early as May 2023, the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure sent an official statement to the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County stating unequivocally: the concessionaire JTH Costabella has no right to close the entrance to visitors who are not hotel guests.

Although in recent weeks and months this issue has been discussed as something ambiguous, the documentation published by Morski.hr shows that there is actually no doubt. With its stance, the Ministry has defended the public interest, emphasizing that maritime property must be accessible to everyone.

How It All Began

The entire case was initiated in mid-April 2023. The Administrative Department for Maritime Property, Transport and Communications of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, led by then-acting head Zlatan Marunić, sent an official letter to the Maritime Administration within the relevant Ministry. The letter sought an interpretation of the concessionaire's rights, specifically whether citizens could be denied access to the beach.

The response came quickly, already in May 2023, in the form of a clear statement that leaves no room for different interpretations. Kostabela Beach, as part of the maritime property, is and must remain accessible to all citizens, not just guests of the five-star hotel.

Documents Resolve All Doubts

Although more than three years have passed since this statement was issued, debates about access to the beach at Kostabela have not subsided. The published documents now provide a definitive legal conclusion to the entire story, confirming that the concessionaire has no authority to install barriers or otherwise restrict the passage of citizens who wish to use public property.

With this statement, the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure has sent a strong message about the protection of public interest in maritime property, further strengthening the right of all citizens to unimpeded access to the coast.