The Mandracchio port in Novigrad hosted the official launch of two Istrian batanas, an event that marks one of the final stages of the European "TOFOLA" project and revitalizes the ancient vessel's role as a symbol of local maritime heritage, an educational tool, and a new resource for sustainable tourism.

The ceremony was attended by the mayor of Novigrad and member of Parliament, Anteo Milos, the director of the Istrian Development Agency (IDA), Boris Sabatti, Luciano Beg, from the company “Marservis”, Croatian and Italian partners of the project, as well as the fishermen of Novigrad and Slobodan Simić Simo, creator of the historic Novigrad batana now on display in the city's Visitor Centre.

The report from the Italian-language daily newspaper La Voce del Popolo :

Cittanova celebrates the return of the batana