Dobroslavic said his letter could not have prompted a deadline extension for the completion of a preliminary study on the connection.
He said he sent Barroso the conclusions from a meeting in Dubrovnik on August 28 between representatives of all political parties and public figures in the county, at which they concluded that construction on the Peljesac bridge should resume as soon as possible because the bridge was the best option for connecting divided parts of Croatia and the European Union.
Citing an official from the transport ministry, Dubrovacki List said today that the European Commission interpreted Dobroslavic's recent letter to Brussels as pressure on the consultants doing the preliminary study.
The daily quoted Hajdas Doncic as saying that everything about connecting the south with the rest of the country was proceeding well. "We don't want to pressure the EC, even though various pencil-pushers want to get credit, for which they are neither authorised nor competent. I appeal on those pencil-pushers to let the ministry do its job."