Government introduces new housing measures for assisted areas

Hina - The government on Thursday adopted amendments to the Law on Housing Provision in Assisted Areas, aiming to revitalise underdeveloped regions. A key change is the introduction of a new housing model that allows for the purchase of uninhabitable state-owned apartments, not just their rental.

The amendments, sent to Parliament for adoption, introduce several new forms of housing support - the possibility of purchasing uninhabitable state-owned apartments, the provision of building materials for repairing top-floor or attic flats in family homes; and housing support for returnees and ethnic Croats from the diaspora.

Minister of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets Branko Bačić said that financial support for building materials will be increased from 25% to 50%, due to rising construction costs.

Housing rights are also being expanded to include victims of domestic violence, with the acceptance of non-final court rulings, which was not previously possible.

In addition, rents are being equalised for all users of state-supported housing in the areas covered by the law, set at the level of protected rent. Long-term tenants in apartments owned by local authorities or institutions established by the state will now also have the opportunity to purchase those properties under favourable conditions, a right previously granted only to tenants in state-owned flats.

This change will also benefit tenants who were granted housing under earlier laws as essential personnel or on other grounds.

People who were denied housing assistance through a final administrative decision may still be eligible to purchase the property if they have lived there for at least 10 years. A five-year mandatory residency period is being introduced before these homes can be sold or gifted.

New regulations will also be introduced to address housing issues concerning former tenancy rights holders, and to define procedures and eligibility for implementing the government's support programme for the return of Croats to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Protection of Croatia's audiovisual heritage

The government approved the Ministry of Culture and Media's plan to allocate funds from the state budget for 2026 to 2028 for the digitisation of Croatia's film heritage.

Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek stated that the goal is to establish an independent national film archive, currently part of the Croatian State Archives.

The digitisation and restoration work will cover culturally protected audiovisual material, including the National Film Collection, the Collection of Croatian Feature Films, and the Collection of Croatian Short Films.

The plan includes the restoration and digital processing of 1,800 minutes of film, transferring digitally restored works back to new film reels, and full preservation of 20 feature-length films.

Total funding for this project is €2.6 million (including VAT).

Operational Programmes for National Minorities amended

The government also adopted amendments to the Operational Programmes for National Minorities for 2024-2028 to ensure the continuation of activities that began during the previous term and were delayed due to external circumstances.

The updated programmes add 10 new activities, modify or expand 11 existing ones, and include additional implementing organisations for 15 activities.

The new activities primarily focus on enhancing education in minority languages.

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