Parking Fines on the Adriatic: Hunting Foreigners or Just Bad Management?
If you’ve ever parked on the Adriatic coast, you might have already received a parking fine – but not immediately, rather months later, and from a law firm that seems specialized in hunting foreigners! Yes, you read that right. Stories from Crikvenica, Pag, Novalja, and other coastal towns reveal a shocking practice that looks like a trap for naive tourists and drivers with foreign license plates.
Waiting for the fine – for months!
A Slovenian parked in Crikvenica and didn’t even realize he committed a violation. There was no warning on his windshield, nor was he stopped. Only after four months did he receive a fine of 60 euros, plus additional costs for vehicle owner identification and warnings, totaling over 100 euros! And that’s not all – if he doesn’t pay, the fine can increase up to 1,000 euros!
He’s not alone. Many other drivers with foreign plates report similar stories. Some even paid fines for vehicles that were properly parked, with fines coming from the same law firm in Pula, which represents local municipalities.
Law firm as a hunter of foreigners
It seems this practice has become a well-oiled scheme. The law firm from Pula has contracts with several towns and municipalities along the Adriatic. They send fines with delays, often without clear evidence, and communication with them is nearly impossible.
One driver from Pag even hired a lawyer who managed to cancel the fine, but the lawyer’s fee was paid by someone else – a mystery to this day. Others had to pay additional costs for towing and vehicle retrieval, then received new fines months later.
Why target foreigners?
Local drivers claim that foreign license plates are specifically targeted. While local drivers can see no-parking signs everywhere, foreigners often aren’t familiar with local rules or signs that aren’t clearly displayed.
This practice causes justified anger and a sense of injustice. People wonder if the goal is just to make money off tourists and foreigners, or if it’s a case of poor organization and inefficiency of local authorities.
No answers, just more fines
Attempts to contact the municipal traffic department or city administration often fail. N1 TV sent an inquiry to Crikvenica but has yet to receive a response.
Meanwhile, fines keep coming, and debts grow. Some received three warnings, two of which they never even saw, and the costs of vehicle owner identification and law firm fees keep increasing.
What can we learn?
If you plan to park on the Adriatic, be prepared for surprises. Watch out for unclear signs and rules, photograph your vehicle and parking ticket, and be ready for possible months-long waits for a fine.
This situation is a real mess and shows how inefficient and unfair the penalty system is, especially towards foreigners. Is this just bad management or deliberate targeting of tourists? Drop your thoughts in the comments – maybe together we’ll find out who’s really to blame!
