Projects for the reconstruction of buildings and traffic infrastructure damaged in the 2020 earthquake, worth €100 million, are being conducted in Krapina-Zagorje County, Construction Minister Branko Bacic said on Friday during a visit to the northwestern region of Zagorje.

Accompanied by Krapina-Zagorje County head Zeljko Kolar and Gornja Stubica Mayor Jasmin Krizmanic, Bačić visited Slani Potok, where he spoke with the owner of a private property that is being reconstructed.

As for the amount of €100 million, it refers to the reconstruction of both private and public properties, and requests have been made for additional funding, he said.

“The projects concern the reconstruction of public buildings and public infrastructure. Krapina-Zagorje County is currently implementing projects worth €35 million,” Bacic said.

The amount includes €12.5 million, secured at the county’s request for the reconstruction of roads damaged in the earthquake, he said.

County head Kolar expressed satisfaction with the funds obtained.

He noted that the value of all projects to remove the consequences of the 2020 earthquake in the county could be around €80 million. The amount refers to reconstruction projects where the county is the implementing body.

Bacic said that other state bodies were also implementing reconstruction projects in the county, worth an additional €50 million, mentioning in that context several ministries and the Hrvatske Vode water management company. He expects those projects to be completed by the end of June.

“As regards private properties, by the end of May we will remove all buildings that need to be torn down. The construction of replacement homes in the county will start by the end of the year. Next year there will practically be no properties that have not been finished or are not under reconstruction,” he said.

The minister spoke in Slani Potok with a property owner who has started renovating his house on his own, noting that this scheme, with property owners reconstructing their properties on their own, was good and that additional changes had been made to make it even more efficient.

“For projects like this, a property owner will in the future obtain the entire amount of the necessary funding based on the project prepared… We are working on this model with the Croatian National Bank and the Croatian Banking Association. Soon the first payments into special accounts opened with banks for all types of reconstruction under this scheme will start,” he said, stressing the need for property owners renovating their properties on their own to keep all receipts as they were the basis for obtaining public money for reconstruction work.

County head Kolar said that major progress was visible on the ground with regard to post-earthquake reconstruction.

Gornja Stubica Mayor Kuzmanic, too, expressed satisfaction, recalling that in the 2020 March 2020 earthquake that hit Zagreb, the municipality of Gornja Stubica sustained the most extensive damage, with around 290 family houses damaged.