Aquatika's 25 fish tanks, which present the entire course of a karst river, contain 5,000 specimens of 100 fish species that live in Croatian rivers. As much as 98% of the investment, worth HRK 36.7 million (EUR 4.89 million), was provided by the EU.
Aquatika will significantly contribute to Karlovac's cultural and tourism sectors, Plenkovic said, underlining the importance of the project for education in general and for research projects related to freshwater fish.
Attending the opening of the aquarium, along with Plenkovic, were local officials and several government ministers.
Karlovac County head Ivan Vucic said that of the continental tourist destinations the capital Zagreb and Karlovac County led the way in terms of the number of overnight stays, noting that in the first nine months of this year Karlovac County registered half a million overnight stays, 35% more than in 2015.
He expressed hope the latest project would contribute to the further development of the local tourism sector.
Environmental Protection Minister Slaven Dobrovic expressed confidence that Aquatika would help raise awareness of the need to preserve the environment.
The freshwater aquarium and river museum is located by the River Korana, one of Karlovac's four rivers. The author of the project design is the architectural studio 3LHD.
The aquarium is intended primarily for students, researchers and hobbyists as well as for tourists.