Attending the opening ceremony were, among others, Transport Minister Oleg Butkovic, Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Gabrijela Zalac and Dubrovnik Airport manager Roko Tolic.
Tolic said the project to upgrade the airport would continue.
Minister Butkovic said that the construction of the Peljesac bridge, to connect the southernmost peninsula of Peljesac near Dubrovnik with the mainland, would start in the autumn.
"Tourists cannot reach us easily enough, that is why this is a big step toward overcoming that obstacle. The Peljesac bridge project is also about to be launched. We need to connect this airport with Dubrovnik, with Metkovic and the islands. Without that, the local tourism sector will not be complete," said Dubrovnik County head Nikola Dobroslavic.
The HRK 1.114 billion grant agreement for the upgrading and development of Dubrovnik Airport in the period until 2020 was signed by the government of Zoran Milanovic and Dubrovnik Airport in May 2015.
The grant was approved by the European Union, and the Croatian government in April 2015 made a decision on the financing of the project. Under a decision of the European Commission, the project may be co-financed with public funds in the amount of EUR 145 million or slightly more than the HRK 1.114 billion on which the agreement was signed.
The remaining EUR 75 million needed for the project was to be secured by the airport, as part of the EC's investment plan also known as the Juncker Plan.
The entire project, worth EUR 220 million, is to be completed by April 2019.
(EUR 1 = HRK 7.42)