Five million euros was invested in the renovation of the complex, with 85 percent of the funding secured from European funds, and the rest from the budget of the Ministry of Culture and Media.
Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Šime Erlić recalled that an expert team of the ICUA, with the support of the City of Zadar and the relevant ministry, worked tirelessly to complete the project.
Minister of Culture and Media Nina Obuljen Koržinek said that the revitalisation and restoration of Zadar's cultural heritage was of vital importance for Croatia.
She recalled that 25 years ago, during negotiations on the adoption of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, Croatia had strongly advocated for the convention to elevate the protection of underwater archaeology to a new level, which was later confirmed by the swift ratification of the convention and establishment of the ICUA.
The minister added that underwater archaeology, besides its scientific and professional aspect, also involves numerous enthusiasts, divers, and history and nature lovers.
Speaking about the importance of UNESCO categorisation, Siniša Šešum, head of the Sarajevo-based UNESCO Regional Office for Science and Culture in Europe, emphasised that Zadar is a cultural-historical centre of global significance.
"The renovation of this complex is one of the brightest examples of promoting UNESCO's convention on the protection of this archaeological branch. We are pleased to acknowledge that we are one of the 'culprits' for the realisation of the project because we have been a partner to the Ministry of Culture and Media from the very beginning. Therefore, let us enjoy the new discoveries and the presentation of Croatia's rich underwater cultural heritage," Šešum concluded.