- Published: 28.10.2025.
Contract on construction of new Student Dormitory Petrinja worth 5.75 million euro signed
In the Council Chamber of the Faculty of Teacher Education in Petrinja, Minister Bačić ceremonially signed the contract on the construction of a new student dormitory with representatives of Tehnika d.d. The project is worth 5.75 million euro and it envisages the construction of a dormitory encompassing 66 beds, which will not only provide accommodation to young students, but it will also be an important step forward for demographic revitalisation of the area and for improving the standard of student living in Petrinja and Sisak-Moslavina County.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets Branko Bačić attended the ceremony accompanied by State Secretary Sanja Bošnjak, State Secretary Tonči Glavinić and associates. The ceremony was opened by Krunoslav Šimatović, who presented the project’s main properties. Then, acting director of Student Centre Sisak Božan Šutalo, Sisak-Moslavina County Prefect Ivan Celjak and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Branko Bačić addressed the audience.“This is a historic day for Student Centre Sisak, because a student centre with no student accommodation is faulty. When the object is finished next year, we will be able to provide the students with much greater comfort and amenities. Along with all the services we have provided so far - alimentation, cultural and sports activities - Petrinja will become a prestigious student destination, and extra beds will be needed,” Director Šutalo said.
Students who attend the faculty in Petrinja are usually young people from Sisak-Moslavina County and Zagreb. Since there is a shortage of accommodation, many of them decide to reside in Zagreb and commute every day. Considering the accommodation is insufficient, the number of 66 beds, according to the Director, is currently optimal for students who gravitate to Petrinja.
The project of constructing a new student dormitory is implemented by the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets, and the work contract was signed by Minister Branko Bačić and a representative of Tehnika d.d. as the selected contractor.
Wider project of reconstruction and revitalisation of Petrinja and Sisak-Moslavina County
“Having signed the contract, we have made another step forward which, along with post-earthquake reconstruction and the construction of other objects, contributes to demographic renewal of Petrinja and Sisak-Moslavina County. I am pleased that we signed the contract on the premises of the Faculty of Teacher Education, which was ceremonially opened in March this year after reconstruction. I congratulate everyone on this project, which will significantly contribute to enhancing educational infrastructure and have a significant impact on the faculty and life as a whole,” Minister Bačić said.
The contract for constructing the student dormitory is worth 5.75 million euro, and additional funds will be secured for its full equipment. The estimated construction period is 12 months. Apart from the 66 new beds, the student dormitory will include a student restaurant, a gym and space for social and recreational activities, which will significantly improve the standard and quality of student life in Sisak-Moslavina County.
“I am confident the contractor will meet the deadline and that we will open the student dormitory in a year,” the Minister concluded. Programme of the Government of the Republic of Croatia financed by a World Bank loan
The Student Dormitory Petrinja is under construction within the programme of the Government of the Republic of Croatia financed by a World Bank loan. It is one of the six projects implemented through the programme, and two projects are implemented in the Sisak-Moslavina County area - the construction of the vocational secondary school in Petrinja, completed and opened in September 2024, and the construction of the new student dormitory.
“Young people represent life and development. This is an important developmental project which will encourage students to come and stay in Petrinja, particularly those who come from other counties. This student dormitory will house nearly 70 people. If we also consider the dormitory for high school students, which will be opened soon, and the buildings constructed by APN in the county, we can say that Petrinja has great potential for demographic development and for people to stay here, and that it will soon become an attractive city to live in near Zagreb,” County Prefect Celjak said.
Let us recall, in July 2020 the Republic of Croatia concluded a Loan Agreement with the World Bank for 200 million US dollars for the projects of post-earthquake reconstruction and public health preparedness, whereby 185 million US dollars is intended for post-earthquake reconstruction, 10 million US dollars is intended for supervision and public health preparedness, and 5 million US dollars is intended for project management.
Apart from the student dormitory in Petrinja, reconstruction works are currently underway for the Croatian Institute of Public Health premises at Nazorova Street in Zagreb, the Clinical Hospital Centre (KBC) Zagreb is in the third reconstruction and construction stage, and project documentation is in development for the “A” building of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing in Zagreb. Out of the six projects in total, two of them have been completed - Reconstruction and renovation of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology at KBC Zagreb and the new Vocational Secondary School Petrinja.
“The largest project financed by the loan are works at KBC Rebro - stage III. Even though it is financed by the World Bank loan, these are state funds because the loan will be returned. These funds have enabled us to overcome initial financial reconstruction challenges,” the Minister said.
The Minister also commented on the reconstruction of public use buildings which include numerous institutions founded by Sisak-Moslavina County - hospitals, healthcare facilities, defence institutions, homes and galleries - and whose reconstruction has largely been undertaken by the county. According to the agreement with the Ministry of Culture and Media, Petrinja has undertaken the implementation of the reconstruction of the historical city centre, which encompasses protected cultural objects whose reconstruction is complex and financially demanding.
Reconstruction completed at 14,000 locations - 456 family houses built
The reconstruction has been completed at 14,017 locations, out of which 13,237 refer to private buildings and houses comprising 53,000 housing units. A total of 780 reconstruction projects has been completed for public use buildings and infrastructure cofinanced by the European Union Solidarity Fund. In addition, 456 family houses have been built, while 213 of them are under construction.
In the Petrinja earthquake area, the reconstruction has been completed at 9,781 locations, 416 houses have been built and 189 of them are under construction. Apart from the reconstruction projects, the Ministry constructs 59 multiapartment buildings comprising 1.024 apartments in Sisak-Moslavina County.
“In Petrinja alone eight buildings have been completed, and eight more buildings are under construction; they will be occupied next year. This will provide young residents of Petrinja, and all others who want to come to Petrinja, with affordable housing. The rent of only 0.36 euro per square meter is 20 times lower than the Croatian average and it encourages people to come and to stay in this city,” Minister Bačić said.
From the beginning of the post-earthquake reconstruction in the Zagreb and Petrinja earthquake areas, a total of 4.04 billion euro has been spent - 2.35 billion euro referring to the Zagreb earthquake area and 1.69 billion euro to the Petrinja earthquake area.