Croatia reunited with its coast

The eastern European country of Croatia is no longer cut off from its strip of the Adriatic coast after the opening of a new bridge. The 2.4-km overpass from the mainland to the Peljesac peninsula is a key plank in the Balkan nation's recovery plan from two years of pandemic devastation. It means travellers can bypass a narrow strip of Bosnian territory through which they previously had to pass to access tourist honey-pots like the medieval walled city of Dubrovnik. “The importance of the bridge is enormous,” Oleg Butkovic, Croatia's transport minister, said. “It's not only emotional due to the connection of Croatia's territory but for tourism and the economy in general.” The much-delayed project has attracted some criticism, however, as it was built by state-owned China Road and Bridge Corporation — though funded largely by the European Union. It comes amid concerns over China's attempts at influence-building in countries throughout Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said he was “overwhelmed” by pride and gratitude for the bridge. The strip of land the elegant cable-stayed bridge replaces is a holdover from Croatia's days as part of the former Yugoslavia.