The leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) branch in Zagreb, Gordan Maras, on Tuesday called on structural engineers to inspect school and kindergarten buildings in Zagreb in the next five days to see if they are safe for holding classes after the December 29 earthquake.

After the winter break, school is expected to resume on January 18.

Addressing a news conference, Maras said that Mayor Milan Bandić and the head of the city department for education, Ivica Lovrić, had lied that structural engineers had inspected school buildings, which he said was evidenced by dozens of emails he had been receiving from school principals who had asked that their schools be checked but to no avail.

Maras noted that reaching schools in downtown Zagreb was a special problem and that it was irresponsible to say that making corridors for safe passage was not necessary.

Maras also asked Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Mayor Bandić and the acting head of the Fund for the Post-Earthquake Reconstruction of Zagreb, Damir Vanđelić, when the reconstruction of the capital city, currently on hold, would begin.

On 22 March 2020 Zagreb was hit by a 5.2 magnitude earthquake which claimed one life and caused damage, particularly to buildings in the downtown area, as well as to properties in Zagreb and Zagorje counties.

The 6.2 magnitude quake that hit Sisak-Moslavina County on December 29 killing seven people and causing large-scale destruction was also felt in Zagreb but no major additional damage was reported in the capital.