Cross-border tensions and agreements
For Italians from Trieste or Slovenians, announcing that you're going to "take a tour of the coast" is tantamount to talking about a stay that often extends into Croatian Istria! Established after the Second World War, the national border to the south gave the Slovenes an opening to the sea. That's how we talk about Slovenian Istria, 46.46 km of rocks, beaches, coves and seaside resorts. This small stretch of coastline has long been the subject of a territorial dispute between Croatia and Slovenia. In 2015, the war in Syria and the influx of thousands of refugees into Europe served as a reminder of how difficult it was for the three neighboring countries to implement common border measures. Unprecedented, the management of this migration crisis cooled Croatian-Slovenian relations, with each country sending back to the other asylum seekers, who had arrived illegally on their respective territories. The three EU members, who had re-established border controls, had to extend the application of the EU-Turkey pact.
In 2017, an international arbitration tribunal awarded Ljubljana control of most of Piran and its bay. Determined to retain sovereignty over half the area, Zagreb rejected the ruling. The three-decade dispute over sea and land borders ended in 2022, when the Slovenian capital supported Zagreb's entry into the Schengen area (early 2023). Today, Slovenia's borders are no longer those of the EU's external borders, making it easier for travellers and goods to move around, and Slovenia has dismantled its barbed-wire fence on its southern border with Croatia.
Active regionalism
The Istrian regionalist party, the Istrian Diet (Istarski sabor or Dieta istriana), formed in Pula on February 14, 1990, has always believed in the official rapprochement of the three neighboring regions. Its flag, with the three white istarka goats, symbolizes the cross-border reality of Slovenian, Croatian and Italian Istria. The IDS-DDI has deputies in the Croatian Sabor, numerous elected members in the regional parliament of Pazin (Croatian Istria), and a few in Koper (Slovenian Istria), while the territorial project (Euroregion Istria) has received the support of the Italian Northern League.
Based on the traditions of European parliamentary democracies and multiculturalism, the autonomists are striving for a common curriculum, Croatian and Italian in schools, exclusive competences (own taxation, communal self-management, demilitarization of Istria). In economic terms, the doctrine is liberal, based on the region's own resources, increased cross-border trade and, above all, the development of tourism as an asset for the region.
Sharing fishing waters
Although Istria boasts some fine farming operations (timber, market gardening, tenant farming, agribusiness), the region has always relied more heavily on fishing for its sustenance. Along the coasts shared by the three countries, the unilateral management of fishing zones is equally delicate, as fish are becoming increasingly scarce, due to Italian overfishing in the Adriatic Sea. Off the coast of Piran Bay, Slovenia is demanding that Croatia extend its territorial perimeter in order to gain access to international waters and thus increase its fishing zone. Ljubljana is threatening to tax Croatian fishermen, whose artisanal work is now carried out under police surveillance. This conflict has been going on since 1990, while Italian industrial fishing remains as much a problem for Croatia as for global warming. In order to better protect biodiversity, in 2017 the Italian and Croatian authorities set up a marine perimeter closed to fishing, known as the 3,000 km2 Jabuka Trough, off the northwest coast of Istria. Five years on, the results are positive. The Split Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries notes that the population of certain species breeding in these inter-territorial waters, such as hake and langoustine, has doubled. The effects of the restricted zone are felt throughout the northern Adriatic. Fishermen are earning a decent living as fish stocks recover.
Tourism, an economic engine
Istria has good coal and bauxite deposits, as well as shipyards. Today, however, it's tourism investment that's experiencing the strongest growth, with the sector accounting for a fifth of Croatian GDP. The most significant in terms of size and capacity are located on the Adriatic coast, in the Primorsko-goranska, Split-Dalmatia and Istria regions. Istria is very well known in Europe and the United States, but less so in France! The Croatian tourist office in France explains this by Istria's relative isolation outside the summer season. Negotiations are underway with airlines to increase traffic and encourage more tour operators to take an interest in the destination.
The major hotel groups (Valamar Riviera, Blue Laguna de Poreč, Pula Resort) continue to pre-empt the coastline in order to increase their accommodation and service capacity. They are building new-generation luxury establishments, campsites with high-end glamping areas overlooking private beaches, marinas or golf courses. In the long term, the aim is to attract more tourists with high purchasing power, who will not complain about inflationary pressure or rising prices. Wellness tourism and body care (dental surgery in particular) are particularly well developed in Istria. The region's bountiful natural environment, modern infrastructure and professional skills all lend themselves to this activity. Historic hotels and modern establishments have been renovated or refurbished on the seafront. These major projects are carried out by investors supported by the Croatian government and the Istrian Diet. The ecological association Zelena Istra (Green Istria) is trying to make its voice heard on the environmental consequences of such projects. In Pula, the sea promenade has been the subject of heated debate since 2022. Residents fear that the construction of a huge luxury hotel will disfigure this beautiful old lungomare . Determined to protect this symbol of the town's heritage, thousands of people are mobilizing against the construction project.
Green initiatives are flourishing
On the terroir side, agrotourism, inspired by traditional Austrian and Italian models, has taken off in Green Istria. The region is now at the forefront of this more sustainable tourism offering, which combines the tranquility of the countryside with the pleasures of the sea, never far away in this region. Renting a house, gîte or chambre d'hôte as private accommodation is part of this communal micro-economy. In general, holidaymakers, who have the opportunity to discover a variety of landscapes, love the local cuisine, from the land to the plate! They make contact with the owners, who are often farmers who make a living from their vegetable gardens or food crops. Another alternative, which is gaining ground, is to volunteer in private homes, in exchange for room and board (www.workaway.com). Young people in particular appreciate the deal, which enables them to travel around Croatia at lower cost and keep the family economy going.
For several years now, we've been seeing a real dynamic among Istrian self-entrepreneurs who, outside the institutional circuits, are driving these citizen initiatives forward. People, even those living in the city, retain a link with their rural or coastal roots; the sense of nature endures, and the need to protect it takes hold.
