Rijeka Tourist Board Leadership Election Interrupted Amid Transparency Dispute

Rijeka's mayoral office has voiced strong opposition to what it terms 'resistance to strategic development' following the interruption of a crucial Tourist Board (TZ) meeting. Mayor Iva Rinčić declared that the city cannot be held hostage by old habits, emphasizing that Rijeka must be a driver of change, not a playground for maintaining the status quo. The meeting, intended to elect a new director, was halted when it became clear that the incumbent, Petar Škarpa, would likely receive renewed support. Mayor Rinčić, who also chairs the TZ council, believes the current system, which has operated within a narrow circle with insufficient public oversight, is unsustainable. She suggested that blocking the election of a qualified and independent candidate indicates an intention to preserve the influence of those accustomed to closed-door decision-making. The mayor stressed that responsibility must supersede personal interests, deeming it unacceptable to slow down processes vital to Rijeka's future due to narrow agendas. She asserted that managing public funds demands absolute impartiality and that any opposition to modernizing the system directly hinders the progress of Rijeka's tourism. Rinčić affirmed that the tender would be repeated if necessary to ensure full transparency, and pledged to introduce an ethical code to regulate job awards and prevent conflicts of interest. She insisted on complete openness in the TZ's operations, stating that every contract and every euro spent will be subject to public scrutiny. The era of making decisions about Rijeka's tourism direction without clear criteria is over, she concluded, and the upcoming session will reveal who is committed to Rijeka's advancement and who is merely fighting to preserve their existing positions.

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