ZAGREB, 4 March, 2021 - Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Nataša Tramišak met with Petrinja Mayor Darinko Dumbović on Thursday to discuss an intervention plan for the reconstruction of the city after a devastating earthquake in December, after which a group of disgruntled people verbally attacked the mayor.

The intervention plan is aimed at the social and economic regeneration of small towns, it was said.

The minister said Petrinja had been implementing HRK 140 million worth of EU-funded projects until 2020 and that several more remained to be contracted.

She said the goal was to utilise the funds available until the end of 2023 in the Petrinja area and invest in infrastructure and ongoing projects.

Tramišak said €111 million had been ensured for building new state-owned flats in Petrinja, Sisak, Glina and other towns affected by the earthquake.

If standardised buildings and houses will be built, construction could begin soon, she added.

Mayor Dumbović said he was satisfied with the solutions proposed and that the Culture Ministry had promised that Petrinja would look as it did before the earthquake. 

Mayor verbally attacked by protesters

Several dozen protesters rallied outside the venue of the meeting, complaining about the lack of transparency in decisions concerning the right to reconstruction aid and about the distribution of humanitarian aid.

The demonstrators blocked the exit of the fire station where the meeting was taking place, preventing the mayor's car from leaving the venue and announcing new protests.

Dumbović told the RTL commercial television channel in the evening that the incident was politically motivated. Asked who was behind the demonstration, he named Luca Gašpar Šako, the local coordinator of the opposition Bridge party.

"They are not aware of the damage individuals are doing to Petrinja. Petrinja did not deserve this. It turns out that we are lawless cowboys wanting to achieve something by force," the mayor said. 

ZAGREB, 3 March, 2021 - The Bosnian Federation Chamber of Commerce, acting in cooperation with the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK), has organised the delivery of eight trucks full of building material donated by Bosnian enterprises for earthquake victims in the Banovina region of central Croatia, the HGK said on Wednesday.

The donation includes cement, bricks, concrete blocks and roof tiles, which will be distributed to Sisak, Petrinja, Glina and Hrvatska Kostajnica.

The Director of the Federation Chamber of Commerce, Marko Šantić, said that they had collaborated with the HGK on many projects.

"We look upon the HGK and Croatia as an EU member as our older brothers who are helping Bosnia and Herzegovina to overcome its economic problems and join the European Union. This was an opportunity for us to reciprocate," Šantić said, thanking all Bosnian companies that took part in the donation. 

Speaking on behalf of the four towns, the Mayor of Petrinja, Darinko Dumbović, thanked the Bosnian companies for the donation.

ZAGREB, 30 January, 2021 - Petrinja Mayor Darinko Dumbović has said that the Opposition's quorum-breaking on Friday, which resulted in the parliament not adopting the amended law on post-earthquake reconstruction, is "the biggest disgrace ever", noting that earthquake victims want solutions and not divisions.

"This is the biggest disgrace, a disgrace for the Opposition, the We Can!, the SDP and others, it's a disaster, what kind of message is that to people in Banovina," Dumbović said on Saturday while touring locations in Petrinja where work was being launched to demolish buildings damaged beyond repair in a 6.2 earthquake that hit Sisak-Moslavina County on 29 December.

He called on the Opposition to set this right and "vote in unanimously, as soon as tomorrow, the post-earthquake reconstruction law."

"Are they aware of what people think of them, I have been listening to what people on the ground say, they should come here and apologise, we do not need divisions, there must be no blackmail, people are seeking solutions here," Dumbović said.

ZAGREB, 15 January, 2021 - Petrinja Mayor Darinko Dumbović said on Friday that he was satisfied with the proposed legislative regulations for the reconstruction of damaged houses in the quake-hit areas of Sisak-Moslavina County, which will entirely be financed from the state budget.

Asked by reporters if he was satisfied with the legislative regulation on reconstruction, Dumbović said that any law that will be quickly implemented was good.

He elaborated that he was satisfied that the 60:20:20 formula for financing the post-quake reconstruction, which will be applied in Zagreb, had been amended for the quake-affected areas  in Sisak and Karlovac Counties so the rebuilding of the damaged houses in that region should be entirely covered from the state budget.

On Thursday, the government sent to the parliament draft amendments to the law on the post-quake reconstruction of the City of Zagreb, Krapina-Zagorje and Zagreb Counties to include the regulation of the reconstruction of Sisak-Moslavina and Karlovac Counties, hit by the 29 December 6.2 magnitude quake.

The state will provide full funding for the reconstruction of the property in which the owner lives in these two counties (Sisak and Karlovac) since they are underdeveloped, according to the explanation provided by Construction Minister Darko Horvat on Thursday.

The law on Zagreb's post-earthquake reconstruction envisages that 60% of the reconstruction cost will be financed by the government, 20% by the local authorities and 20% by property owners.

During his visit to Petrinja, Deputy Prime Minister Boris Milošević today underscored the importance of good cooperation with local government without which results would be absent.

"NGOs are an added value and we have to act together as a team. Any donation helps the people and we have to be grateful for them. It is important that everyone is in warmth and that they have a hot meal," said Milošević.

A delegation of the Serb National Council (SNV) visited Gornja Bačuga where it donated five stoves to vulnerable families and presented a donation from the Red Cross consisting of 500 pairs of rubber boots, adding that another 1,000 pairs are expected to arrive soon.

January 4, 2021 - Petrinja Mayor Darinko Dumbovic is interviewed by N1 on the current situation in his town.

Petrinja Mayor Darinko Dumbovic said that this morning's earthquake was very strong. He pointed out that the accommodation of people is now the basic problem, because enough food and clothes have arrived.

"This was a blow to everything that is not difficult to hit, because even much smaller blows will bring additional damage. All people who move through the centre will have a problem if a brick falls on their head, a tile… Our nights are traumatised, without sleep, uncertainty, a future in which we urgently need to find a solution. Citizens are on the edge of patience and the capabilities of a normal human being. Today in Petrinja, no one is normal anymore," said the Petrinja mayor.

Regarding the establishment of the Government Crisis Management Headquarters in the area of ​​Petrinja and Sisak, he said: “As far as I know Tomo Medved, he is a very good operative, a very good politician, he needs such an operational strong hand. He is good as a politician, but I think that there should be capable people in Petrinja, Sisak, Glina next to him… I am sure that we, as mayors, will be in the headquarters.”

Commenting on the speed of the state's reaction, Dumbovic pointed out that he could always do better: “The first days were terrible, everyone here risked their lives. In an hour all the teams and available strength were here in Petrinja. The question is what more they could have done. I don't mind wherever the headquarters are, just to have people living here. I am not interested in a headquarters comes here and knows more about and loves my city more than me.”

He pointed out that the first aid of two million kuna arrived the very next day, but he believes that the redistribution was incorrect: “The redistribution was incorrect if it was political and if it was from the county prefect. County prefects have no authority to dispose of money in such a disaster. Only the professionals can distribute that money, the priorities must be the problems that have arisen. Yes, the county prefect gave less money to Petrinja, which suffered the most in the earthquake. Time will show if the distribution is fair, we have a lot of work to do, I do not want politics, but I will be fair and strict when it comes to Petrinja."

He added that he was not interested in the Zagreb Act: “Parliament must debate this in a few days. I am not interested in the Law on Zagreb because these areas still have an elementary struggle for survival. Here, a square meter of a house was 150 euros, in Zagreb the living possibilities are higher than in Petrinja. We can't wait for the paperwork. "

Dumbović says that at the beginning, when thousands of people arrived at once, there was a huge crowd, and they could not coordinate everything because there is "not a single whole building in Petrinja where they would make an office". He considers his communication with the headquarters and people good, and he says about the problem of Petrinja even before the earthquake:

"Unfortunately, obviously Croatia improvises when it does something. The biggest problem in Petrinja was the city's property. Some houses collapsed like a tower of cards. In addition to containers and houses, which are now most needed, the law on spatial planning should be immediately simplified, to simplify the bureaucracy for the houses we will build. They have enough food and clothes.”

For more on the Petrinja earthquake and to see how you can donate money, food, humanitarian, sanitary and material aid, follow our dedicated section.

January the 3rd, 2021 - The Petrinja earthquake which struck central Croatia, affecting numerous areas including both Glina and Sisak, has attracted international attention. The Petrinja Mayor, Darinko Dumbovic has issued a warning to those who just want to come to the devastated city to take pictures - Don't bother.

As Index writes, Petrinja Mayor Darinko Dumbovic appeared on the show Nedjeljom u 2 (Sunday at 2) on HRT, and told people that if they plan to visit Petrinja just take selfies, photos of the damage and then leave without offering any help, to not come at all.

"The whole city has been destroyed. The most important thing now is to set up a system and act operationally. As for those who deal with statics, I want to communicate directly with them, as for those facilities that were destroyed, we want to be able to solve pressing issues in 24 hours, in 48 hours and then in 78 hours,'' he said.

He also called all the roofers to come to Petrinja.

"Come to Petrinja, you'll be paid for your time. We have the money and none of that is questionable. Please, come and let's organise everything. So, information, communication, the engagement of the profession and organisation. We expect all that for tomorrow," Darinko Dumbovic assured.

When asked how ordinary people can help and what the message from earthquake-stricken Petrinja is for them, he answered:

"The message I want to send out intended for every ordinary person is as followed: if they come to my city to come to take pictures for a souvenir, to just come take a selfie here, don't come. If they give the town money on its giro account - thank you! All those who want to help can also help with building materials and the like,'' Darinko Dumbovic concluded.

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ZAGREB, 2 January, 2021 - The mayor of Petrinja, Darinko Dumbovic, said on Saturday that Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic had reassured him that there would be more money earmarked for this city which sustained extensive damage in the 29 December quake.

Dumbovic's latest statement ensued after he earlier said that he would not take the allocation for Petrinja in the amount of 30 million kuna, claiming that that relief was being distributed along party lines.

"We are human beings, we are not a stone. We must also react emotionally," Dumbovic, an official of the Reformists party, said adding that he had talked with Prime Minister Plenkovic in the meantime.

I have made it clear to the premier that we must have stronger communication, the mayor said.