Preliminary communication
Developmental Potentials of Vrbnik on the Island Krk
Željka Mrkić
Abstract
For centuries Vrbnik, a settlement on the island Krk, has been a powerful cultural, economy
and spiritual centre of Croatian littoral area . Since the 1902's its development has
slown down, and since the last ten years, along with Dobrinj, Vrbnik has been the only
undeveloped commune on the island Krk. Industrial and tourist development have
passed by Vrbnik. Unsatisfied with living on the land and with the income they could
gain from it, with small houses and poor housing conditions in the old town's core, the
young population moved to towns, got education and employment there. The present
situation is different: after having completed the ir education, young Vrbnikians are
forced to return to Vrbnik because the level of employment in overpopulated towns is
rising every day. Yet, having been educated for various jobs, they do not see their existence
only in agriculture.
The subject of this paper are the results of the research oj Vrbnik 's potentials for »Sustainable
development« based upon its cultural and economy heritage, and oj the ideas and interests
of you nger Vrbnikans (aged between 18 and 40) aimed at stop ping young population
from leaving, at preservation and restoration of the old town's urban core, and at the
extension of tourist season through the organization of cultural events. This age group
makes one third of vote rs in Vrbnik and they cannot wait for great investors to open the
new jobs by building big hotels or starting some industry. They have to design their existence
themselves in a short time and with the lowest possible investments because of
problematic and slow return. The research was carried out by qualitative technique (participating
obse1vation; deep-inte1view with individuals from Vrbnik business and aclminisu
·ation; interview with young married couples, generation based public debates; analysis
of documents; participation in the activities researched). Although helpless and very sensitive
about their uncertain future prospects, young Vrbnikans were those who were interested
in this research the most and each project presented at its end was designed in oreler
to provide jobs or to enable enterprising lead by the young people. The projects mentioned
can only be realized if supported by the Republic of Croatia ministries and by the
competent authorities of Primorsko-goranska County. The present paper resulted from the
first sociological study of the potentials of one island settlement in Croatia.
Keywords
developmental potentials of an island settlement; sustainable development; Vrbnik; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
100238
URI
Publication date:
12.12.2002.
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