Cetingrad receives multiapartment building for affordable housing

Today Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Branko Bačić, accompanied by State Secretary Dario Tišov, Director Tatjana Vukobratović Spasojević and associates, visited Cetingrad Municipality. Together with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans Tomo Medved, in the premises of Cetingrad Municipality, he signed a contract on removing, reconstructing and constructing a multiapartment building.

Along with Deputy Prime Ministers Branko Bačić and Tomo Medved, the ceremony was also attended by Karlovac County Prefect Martina Furdek-Hajdin, Cetingrad Municipality Prefect Milan Bogović, Mayor of Slunj Mirjana Puškarić and Director of VACON d.o.o. Andro Bunić, with whom the contract on behalf of the tendering consortium for the execution of works was signed, and representative of CONVEXO, with whom the contract on expert supervision of the construction was signed.

“Coming from Karlovac and seeing Cetingrad ahead of me, I was delighted to see the beauty of this part of Croatia’s landscape. Today we will sign a contract on reconstructing the existing building, which will be torn down almost entirely. We will construct a building with six housing units worth 1.35 million euro, VAT included. The apartments will be occupied by young families in need of affordable housing,” Minister Bačić said in his introductory speech.

The residential and commercial building designated for reconstruction is located on Trg hrvatskih branitelja in Cetingrad. The existing building was severely damaged during the Homeland War, it is in poor condition and unfit for habitation and work. The reconstruction will be executed in such a way as to keep part of the external basement walls, while other structural parts will me removed and constructed within the existing dimensions. The new building will be solely for residential purposes, including a basement, the ground floor and one floor, and comprising six apartments. The construction period is 10 months.

“In times when we commemorate sad moments 34 years ago, we can witness the return and reawakening of life in this area. What we address today is something that, along with a workplace, is the most valuable - a roof over one’s head. These six apartments are a symbol of a new life,” County Prefect Furdek-Hajdin pointed out.

Two contracts were signed - one with the contractor and the other for expert supervision. The investment is worth almost 1.4 million euro. The designer and design supervision will be carried out by ALFA INŽENJERING d.o.o. from Slavonski Brod, the contractor is the tendering consortium VACON and MODULAR BUILDING SOLUTIONS, and expert supervision was contracted with CONVEXO d.o.o. Karlovac.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Branko Bačić pointed out that state authorities strive to develop Croatia evenly and that affordable housing is one of the priority goals of the Government.

“In order to prove how important affordable housing is to us, we are now undergoing the adoption procedure of the Act on Amendments to the Act on Housing Care in Assisted Areas. Young families will pay monthly rent in the future building in the amount of 36 euro cents per square metre, the same as in all assisted areas,” the Minister pointed out.

He also recalled that in July this year an agreement was signed on interdepartmental cooperation on reconstruction, upgrading and renovation of the existing building with six housing units in Cetingrad. As part of the interdepartmental cooperation, two initiatives for constructing a multiapartment building are in progress in Krnjak Municipality and the City of Slunj.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans Tomo Medved pointed out that the Government strongly supports even regional development and that every sector recognises its role in the reconstruction of Cetingrad.

“A lot has been done for Cetingrad and its dwellers. This is a strong message from the Government that we won’t forget Cetingrad or Slunj or Lađevac or Saborsko. After the aggression, torching and expulsion, we witness the removal of the ruins and laying of the foundation for six new apartments, four of which will be precious for this region, for the arrival of doctors, teachers, police officers and other much-needed professionals. The new building will adorn Cetingrad and the old one will remain on the photographs as a sad memory,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Medved stated.

When signing the contract on reconstructing the derelict building in the centre, which mars and endangers the place, Cetingrad Municipality Prefect Milan Bogović stated that he feels especially happy today as the prefect of the municipality.

“The building which was torched and destroyed back in 1991 still endangers the safety of all our citizens. I am pleased that, in the public tender procedure, the company selected as the contractor is the same company whose work we follow on the construction of the sports hall at Primary School Cetingrad. We hope this project will be finished in time as well,” Prefect Bogović said.

He added that the Ministry of Construction also cofinances a project worth 64,900 euro in Cetingrad, the renovation of the central area of Hrvatski dom, for which the Ministry has allocated 40,600 euro, as well as that a reconstruction project of the boiler room in Hrvatski dom worth 13,900 euro is in progress, for which the Ministry has allocated 13,000 euro.

“A school sports hall is under construction, which is a 2.3-million-euro investment, and one million euro is invested in the construction works of the Old Town of Cetin. Project documentation is under preparation for the revitalisation of the cultural-historical heritage worth 1.3 million euro. The two projects contribute to marking the 500^th anniversary of the Parliament’s session in Cetin in 1527,” Prefect Bogović added.

Developmental programmes and investments in Karlovac County

It is important to add that under the programme of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets there are three projects in progress in Karlovac County focused on providing housing care to young people in assisted areas. Minister Bačić signed agreements with Prefects of Kamanje Municipality, Lasinja Municipality and Vojnić Municipality on July 16, 2025, during a working visit to Karlovac County.

As part of these projects, the construction of three multiapartment buildings with 20 housing units was planned - six apartments in Kamanje and Lasinja Municipalities each, accommodating 27 persons, and eight apartments in Vojnić Municipality for 44 persons. The projects are worth 2.5 million euro, and the funds are secured from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the state budget. The municipalities ensured building lands with basic municipal infrastructure and exempted the Republic of Croatia from paying utility charges when obtaining building permits.

In Karlovac County, projects on mitigating energy poverty in assisted areas are also in progress, based on the programme adopted by the Government on December 23, 2021. The programme envisages comprehensive energy renovation of 387 residential buildings with approximately 5,200 apartments, and it entails all external common parts of the buildings.

In Karlovac County, this project includes 31 buildings with approximately 300 apartments. The renovation of three buildings has been completed - two in Slunj and one in Vojnić. The works are in progress for 11 buildings, and two buildings are in the public procurement process. Project documentation is being revised for eight buildings, and additional funding is being secured for seven buildings.

Through the Project of reconstructing family houses owned by the Republic of Croatia in earthquake-affected areas, 31 family houses have been reconstructed in Karlovac County, in Krnjak, Slunj and Vojnić Municipalities. The remaining 13 family houses are being inspected and assessed within the public procurement process.

As part of the project “Removing and constructing replacement housing units owned by the Republic of Croatia in earthquake-affected areas” and “Removing and constructing replacement housing units owned by the Republic of Croatia in earthquake-affected areas II” in Karlovac County, 11 replacement family houses have been constructed in the new residential settlement in Vojnić Municipality and Kolarić settlement, as well as four replacement family houses in Krnjak, Vojnić and Tušilović.
 

News | Information