Reconstruction of earthquake-damaged buildings in the City of Zagreb and Krapina-Zagorje County

Page updated on 2 August 2022

             

• Act on Reconstruction of Earthquake-Damaged Buildings in the City of Zagreb, Krapina-Zagorje County, Zagreb County, Sisak-Moslavina County and Karlovac County (Official Gazette 102/20, 10/21, 117/21)
• Programme of Measures for the Reconstruction of Earthquake-Damaged Buildings in the City of Zagreb, Krapina-Zagorje County, Zagreb County, Sisak-Moslavina County and Karlovac County (Official Gazette 88/22)
• Technical regulation on building structures (Official Gazette 17/17, 75/20, 7/22)

How to reconstruct and get allocation of funds?

Pursuant to the Act on Reconstruction of Earthquake-Damaged Buildings and the Programme of Measures for the Reconstruction of Earthquake-Damaged Buildings, the removal of damaged buildings, or their reconstruction and the construction of replacement family houses respectively, as well as housing provision to earthquake-affected persons, are carried out on the basis of decisions and resolutions issued by the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets.

• Financial assistance for reconstruction may be requested prior to, during or upon reconstruction completion
• Self-reconstruction – Instruction for realising the right to financial assistance for building structure repair

The appropriate application form can be downloaded below (Croatian only):

• Form 1 - Application for reconstruction of the building structure, or the complete reconstruction of an individually protected cultural asset (organised reconstruction)
• Form 2 - Application for removal of a building and construction of a replacement family house
• Form 3 – Application for financial assistance
• Form S – Application for housing provision

Applications shall be submitted to the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets in Zagreb, Ulica Republike Austrije 20:

• personally, in the registry office
• by recommended mail with the following indication: “Application — post-earthquake reconstruction”
• at the Reconstruction ("Obnova") Information Centre, Ulica kneza Mislava 2 in Zagreb;
• in the displaced offices of the Ministry:
  • Sisak: Ulica Ivana Meštrovića 28;  
  • Petrinja: Trg Stjepana Radića 8;  
  • Glina: Trg bana Josipa Jelačića 2;  
• By using the application e-Obnova (https://eobnova.gov.hr) within the e-Građani (e-Citizens) system. 

The time limit for submission of all applications is 31 December 2023.

Overview of reconstruction activities

By 31 May 2022, the Ministry received a total of 18,882 applications for the reconstruction of buildings damaged by the earthquakes on 22 March 2020 and on 28 and 29 December 2020, including applications submitted pursuant to the Reconstruction Act and applications submitted pursuant to the Public call for the allocation of funds for the temporary and necessary protection and repair of earthquake-damaged buildings in the City of Zagreb and its surroundings.
 
Since in some cases citizens submitted several applications for the same addresses, 18.882 applications were established to refer to 13.769 addresses. Based on the applications for reconstruction received so far, the Ministry passed 5,074 acts by which applications for 5,407 addresses were resolved or processed, representing 39.27% of addresses, i.e., earthquake-damaged buildings.
 
For the area of the City of Zagreb, the Ministry has so far received a total of 6,922 applications for the reconstruction of buildings relating to 4,298 addresses. Based on the reconstruction applications received so far, the Ministry passed 3,177 acts by which applications for 3,113 addresses were resolved or processed, representing 73.92% of addresses, i.e., earthquake-damaged buildings.
 
With regard to financing rents, in the period until 20 May 2022, the Ministry issued 577 positive decisions for the co-financing of rents accommodating 1,438 persons and disbursed the amount of HRK 48.53 million, out of which HRK 26.8 million for co-financing of rents to citizens and households, and HRK 21.7 million for financing of accommodation costs in the Arena Hostel.
 
The Ministry passed a total of 2,224 decisions on financial assistance for non-structural reconstruction, by which financial assistance was granted for eligible costs in the amount of HRK 110.8 million and disbursed in the total amount of HRK 101.5 million.
 
In the segment of payment of financial assistance for structural reconstruction, through the self-reconstruction model, the Ministry passed a total of 38 decisions on financial assistance for structural reconstruction, granting financial assistance in the amount of HRK 8.4 million, and disbursed financial assistance in the amount of HRK 7.8 million for five buildings, i.e. three multi-apartment buildings and two family houses.
 
Since there is a possibility for citizens to get funds disbursed in three ways, disbursements of financial assistance prior to the commencement of works have been made so far for two multi-apartment buildings in Zagreb, in the amount of HRK 5,561,162.31. Monitoring of structural self-reconstruction of a family house in Zagreb is under way, and two disbursements of financial assistance for design documentation and the first temporary situation for the execution of works totalling HRK 247,580.29 have been made. In addition, financial assistance was paid for structural reconstruction of one family house in Zagreb in the amount of HRK 144,461.50, and for structural reconstruction of two multi-apartment buildings in Zagreb in the total amount of HRK 2,085,625.87.
 
In the part of applications relating to the removal of earthquake-destroyed family houses in the territory of the City of Zagreb, the Ministry passed a total of 74 decisions on the removal of family houses, based on which the Reconstruction Fund has removed 21 family houses in Zagreb so far.
 
In the segment of organized reconstruction, the Reconstruction Fund has started preparing and implementing reconstruction procedures at 552 locations in the City of Zagreb and Krapina-Zagorje County (of which more than 90% relate to Zagreb), out of which 431 locations relate to structural reconstruction, 99 locations to the removal of facilities, and 44 locations to the construction of a replacement family house. As a first step in the implementation of reconstruction, for 428 buildings services of a certified civil engineer were contracted, who determine the classification of damage to the building, the construction gross area, whether the building is existing, and whether the building constitutes an independent structural unit. So far, 306 Reports/Findings of certified civil engineers have been submitted. Technical and financial design control has been contracted for 115 buildings, out of which for 32 buildings Consent to the design documentation (Study and Design) was granted.
 
Designing of 32 designs has been contracted, one of which relates to a new replacement family house. The procurement procedure for the designing of 8 replacement family houses is under way and selection decisions have been made. Regarding the construction of replacement family houses, services of certified surveyors and geotechnical engineers that are necessary for designing have been contracted for 12 locations.
 
A contracted contractor has been inducted into the structural reconstruction of a multi-apartment building in Zagreb, and the induction procedure of a contracted contractor into the constructive reconstruction of a family house, also in Zagreb, is to follow. The procurement procedure of contractors for the structural reconstruction of a further family house is under way, as well as the examination of bids in the procurement procedure of contractors for the structural reconstruction of two buildings in Zagreb. The procedure for the procurement of contractors for a further multi-apartment building in Đorđićeva Street in Zagreb is also under preparation, as well as the announcement of the procedure for the procurement of works for the removal of four family houses. The procurement procedure is being prepared to group the removal procurement for approximately 300 family houses. Procurement procedures for project control services and services of technical and financial project control are being prepared and grouped with the aim of accelerating these procedures. A contract on the provision of services of a certified engineer for 14 multi-apartment buildings has been signed, and the contracting procedure is in progress under a framework agreement for further 18 addresses. Contracts have been signed with auditors for the inspection of 17 sites.
 
In the programme of organized reconstruction of non-structural elements, 1,474 applications were received. Out of this number, designing and operational coordination services were contracted for 352 buildings in the territory of 14 local committees of the City of Zagreb. 151 orders were issued for the design of multi-apartment buildings in the City of Zagreb, and 46 reports were received on the establishment of damage to non-structural elements.
 
Tenders for designing and operational coordination services for 296 buildings in the territory of 38 local committees of the City of Zagreb are under evaluation and the procurement procedure for professional supervision for non-structural reconstruction is under way for further 4 local committees in Zagreb (MO Andrija Medulić, MO Cvjetni trg, MO Mimara, MO August Šenoa).

Information on the activities undertaken by the Fund are published regularly on the https://www.fzo.hr/ website.

• Monitoring of reconstruction implementation (Croatian only)

Plan for expediting reconstruction

In mid-April 2022, minister of physical planning, construction and state assets Ivan Paladina presented a plan to speed up reconstruction through 5 key points.
 
The first point relates to organizational adjustments through centralization of process control and monitoring, clear roles and responsibilities, strengthening of human capacities, organizational restructuring and central database updating.
 
The second point provides for more efficient and faster procurement, by active monitoring of the situation on the construction market, informing the contractors about long-term plans and activities, including all capacities of the construction operative companies, introducing generic cost lists and framework agreements, carrying out procurement by units, taking into account market disturbances and informing foreign contractors about planned activities and operating conditions on the Croatian market.
 
The third point provides for the adoption of certain regulatory amendments that are necessary to facilitate reconstruction implementation by adapting the allocation of aid and by adapting and amending the necessary regulations.
 
The fourth point implies clearer and better communication with final beneficiaries – citizens, contractors of individual works, as well as all other actors involved in the reconstruction process.
 
The last point refers to the dynamics of reconstruction realization, which foresees the beginning of works on all types of reconstruction in all earthquake-affected territories, as well as the initiation of works on several hundreds of construction sites of structural reconstruction and construction of replacement family houses by the end of summer. Furthermore, one of the main priorities is the disbursement of financial assistance for non-structural reconstruction, and the almost entire completion, within the next year, of all organized non-structural reconstruction procedures. In addition, one of the main objectives is to start, within the next year, structural reconstruction works and works of replacement buildings construction for 1,000 homes.
 
In this respect, several objectives have been set:

• to start, by the end of summer, the execution of all types of reconstruction works, in all earthquake-stricken areas;
• in addition, to open, by the end of the summer, several hundred construction sites of structural reconstruction and construction of replacement houses;
• to prioritise the disbursement of financial assistance for non-structural reconstruction;
• within the next year, to complete almost entirely all organized non-structural reconstruction procedures;
• furthermore, in the next year the goal is to start works of structural reconstruction and construction of replacement buildings for 1,000 homes

Additional information and assistance to citizens

In case of any questions or doubts, citizens can contact the “Reconstruction” (“Obnova”) Information Centre at the location Ulica Kneza Mislava 2 in Zagreb, where they can obtain all relevant information, as well as advice on the reconstruction process. The opening hours of the centre are from Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00, and on Saturday from 8:00 to 13:00. Information can be obtained by phone at 0800 0017 and by e-mail: potres@mpgi.hr.

The “Reconstruction” Information Centre is a joint information centre of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets and the Reconstruction Fund. Also, legal support within this Centre is provided by the Law Clinic of the Faculty of Law in Zagreb and legal advice can be requested by phone, every working day from 10 to 12 hours, and on Wednesdays and Thursdays also from 17 to 19 hours, at the phone number 097 6529 903.

Information on the reconstruction of earthquake-damaged buildings in the territory of Sisak-Moslavina County, Karlovac County and Zagreb County are available via the link: https://mpgi.gov.hr/vijesti/13724.

Assistance for post-earthquake reconstruction

An official State Treasury account has been opened for donations of funds in the the action "Assistance for post-earthquake reconstruction".