Croatian MP cuts chains to reopen beach access blocked by Hilton

Marin Miletić, a parliamentary representative for the Most party, has once again cut through newly installed padlocks and chains that were blocking public access to a sandy beach near the Hilton hotel in Rijeka. Miletić stated that beaches are public property belonging to everyone and that it is unacceptable for powerful elites to deny people access.

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I have filed criminal charges against the responsible people from Costabella d.o.o., the company managing the Hilton, and I am asking Turudić to do his job because the laws of the Republic of Croatia have been violated here. Access for citizens must be free and open to our beaches.

"I have filed criminal charges against the responsible people from Costabella d.o.o., the company managing the Hilton, and I am asking Turudić to do his job because the laws of the Republic of Croatia have been violated here. Access for citizens must be free and open to our beaches," Miletić said. He accused powerful individuals, friends of Andrej Plenković and Oleg Butković, of believing they can do as they please, seize beaches from the people, and claim them for themselves and their elite.

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Powerful individuals and elites are shaking our country and think that because they are friends of Andrej Plenković and Oleg Butković, they can do whatever they want – that they can take beaches from the people and something that belongs to us all, they want to claim only for themselves and their elite.

Miletić expressed his discomfort with having to perform such actions as a parliamentary representative but felt compelled to act on behalf of the people. He described himself as a voice for the small, the oppressed, and those who cannot fight against "these giants, these hotel corporations that are usurping our coast and stealing our beaches." He issued a final call to Turudić, DORH, and Croatian institutions to do their jobs.

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It is not pleasant for me that I have to do this as a parliamentary representative, this is not the job of a parliamentary representative, to go around and cut fences with a grinder, but I have to do what people ask of me. And they ask me to fight for justice and truth.

The representative emphasized that his concern is with public maritime property, not with the sun loungers or private investments made by Hilton. Večernji List has sent an inquiry to Hilton regarding the situation and will publish their response upon receipt.

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We are not interested in sun loungers, we are not interested in the private investments that Hilton has here and has made. We are interested in maritime property, and it is known what maritime property is.