ZAGREB, May 7, 2020 - The Croatian government has secured emergency aid in the amount of HRK 20,000 per household for the necessary protection and repair of buildings damaged in the March 22 quake that hit Zagreb and its environs, and it will soon put to public consultation a bill on the reconstruction of buildings.

The aid to be granted as emergency relief to households amounts to HRK 141 million in total, it was said at a government meeting on Thursday.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković asked the competent ministries to finalise a bill on the reconstruction of buildings damaged in the March 22 quake, saying that once the bill was consolidated, a final meeting would be held with representatives of the Zagreb city authorities, after which the bill would be put to brief public consultation and then forwarded to the parliament.

The government wants the bill to be good and comprehensive, Plenković said, noting that the damage caused by the quake was extensive.

Croatia will seek assistance from the EU as well, and PM Plenković said that Croatia would also seek "broader international arrangements, considering the scope of the damage."

The Construction and Physical Planning Ministry has been cooperating with the Regional Development and EU Funds Ministry on preparing the necessary documentation.

"The reconstruction process will last for years, notably the restoration of protected cultural monuments, Zagreb's symbols, but people who have been left without a roof over their head cannot wait that long. That is why it is important to make them feel safe again, provide accommodation for those who will not be able to return to their houses and flats so soon and secure the basic living conditions for them," said Construction and Physical Planning Minister Predrag Štromar.

The government today also made a decision to send financial aid for the global fight against the coronavirus in the amount of one million euros, pledged at an international conference in Brussels on May 4.

It also forwarded to the parliament a bill on the national allowance for elderly people, which proposes that as of January 1, 2021 the national pension for people over the age of 65 who have had uninterrupted residence in Croatia for 20 years, do not have a pension and are not employed, should amount to HRK 800 (slightly more than €100).

The government also adopted a national report on the rule of law in Croatia for the purpose of making an annual European Commission report on the rule of law in EU member states.

This is a new EC mechanism, it is being done for the first time, PM Plenković said, adding that several ministries had cooperated on making the report.

More news about the earthquake can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, May 5, 2020 - President Zoran Milanović on Tuesday met with the leadership of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU) for talks on the reconstruction of Zagreb after a magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck the capital on March 22.

The HAZU delegation included President Velimir Neidhardt, Vice-Presidents Davor Miličić and Frano Parać and Secretary-General Dario Vretenar, according to a press release issued by Milanović's office.

Neidhardt presented a document in which HAZU presented their vision of the reconstruction of Zagreb after the March 22 earthquake, proposing a multidisciplinary approach that would take into account both public interest and the common good, as well as excellence.

The academicians also informed the President of the Republic of the damage done to the HAZU buildings and the plans for their reconstruction.

More earthquake news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, April 27, 2020 - The Museum of Arts and Crafts (MUO) in Zagreb is one of the museums most affected by the March 22 earthquake, but despite that the museum will not cancel its anniversary plans for 2020, and if all goes well, it will reopen this autumn, says the museum's director, Miroslav Gašparović.

A little over two months ago, the MUO presented its new visual identity and opened parts of the new permanent exhibition on the occasion of its 140th anniversary, but all planned activities were soon put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic and then made uncertain by the earthquake that damaged both the building and the collections.

Speaking in an interview with Hina, Gašparović said that these days were a confirmation of the old saying that history repeats itself - a month after the museum was opened in Praška Street in 1880 there was an earthquake, and it happened again a month and five days after the new parts of the permanent exhibition were opened in 2020.

"Despite the shocking start of the museum's history, eight years after the first earthquake a palace was built for it and the museum is still housed in it. That was the first building in Zagreb that was purposefully built as a museum space, and I hope that in eight years a full reconstruction of the museum will have been done, and that it will shine with new splendour," Gašparović noted.

The anniversary is not forgotten, and Gašparović believes that some projects planned for this year will still be carried out. One of those projects is publishing the first monograph dedicated to the museum's history.

Gašparović said that they have gained considerable insight into the damage to the building itself, and part of it is available for everyone to see via impressive aerial footage the museum published on its Facebook page.

Structural engineers and various expert committees have inspected the building multiple times, the roof has been filmed by a drone, and 3D scanning of the whole building is in progress, which will be extremely important when further steps are taken.

More museum news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, April 26, 2020 - Uncertainties caused by the coronavirus crisis and the March 22 earthquake have affected the office rental market in Zagreb and the present situation is very bad, the president of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce real estate agents' association, Dubravko Ranilović, told Hina earlier this week.

Ranilović said that numerous downtown buildings that had been rented out as offices, were now damaged and owners and lease holders were now looking for alternatives until the buildings, damaged in the quake, are repaired, which can take time. On the other hand, office building owners are not inclined to rent out their property for a period shorter than two years.

"Demand for office rentals, notably those top class (Class A), is high," Ranilović said.

Office buildings are generally classified into one of three categories: Class A, Class B, or Class C. Standards for Class A offices are the highest. These buildings represent the newest and highest quality buildings on the market. They are generally buildings with the best curb appeal, the best construction, and high-quality building infrastructure. Class A buildings are also well located.

Rents for Class A offices range between €13 and €16 per square metre while those at less attractive locations go for between €10 and €11 per square metre.

Ranilović also said he doubted rents would go down, at least not any time soon, but that the situation would depend on the duration of the pandemic and that in the long run, all options were possible.

Demand for warehouse rentals with an area of between 2,000 and 5,000 square metres is also high.

More business news can be found in the dedicated section.

ZAGREB, April 25, 2020 - Britain's Prince Charles has made a donation to the Croatian government fund for the reconstruction of Zagreb after the March 22 earthquake, expressing deep distress and sadness over the casualties and devastation caused by the earthquake, the British Embassy said on Saturday.

Because my wife and I have such fond and special memories of visiting Croatia four years ago, I was immensely shocked to hear that so many valuable historic buildings in Zagreb had suffered so much damage, the Prince of Wales said in a letter to President Zoran Milanović.

In recognition of the good relations between Great Britain and Croatia, Prince Charles made the donation about a month ago.

Since the earthquake struck the Croatian capital amid the COVID-19 pandemic, I can only imagine the challenging situation that the earthquake has caused for your country, the Prince said in the letter.

Croatia and its people are in our thoughts and prayers in these painful and difficult moments, he said.

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, visited Croatia in the spring of 2016. The visit did not have a political dimension but was focused on strengthening the ties between the two countries and their people.

They visited Zagreb and the eastern regions of Slavonia and Baranja, and chose a photograph taken on March 15 during their visit to Croatia for their Christmas card for that year.

More news about relations between Great Britain and Croatia can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, April 24, 2020 - President Zoran Milanović on Friday received a delegation of mountain climbers, potholers and altitude workers from Zagreb and thanked them for their selfless volunteer work in helping Zagreb residents in the aftermath of the March 22 earthquake.

"You exposed yourself to a far greater danger than COVID-19. I know how dangerous that is and I thank you for that. Your engagement was extra-institutional. Everything had to be organised quickly and we must be grateful that good and selfless volunteers still exist," Milanovic's office said in a press release.

Speaking on behalf of mountain climbers, potholers and altitude workers, Rene Lisac said that their organisation was on the ground very quickly after the strong earthquake struck Zagreb on March 22.

Lisac said that this was a coordinated action involving about one hundred young people who divided themselves into groups and because they were not that experienced in these feats they were guided and assisted by altitude workers.

He underscored that it was an honour to be involved and to be able to help Zagreb citizens, for their smiles and expressions of gratitude.

A volunteer and member of the initiative, Mak Sedman thanked all the volunteers and altitude workers as well as the public fire brigade and other firefighters who had done a huge job.

This initiative showed that when people are organised everything is possible, the press release said.

More news about the earthquake can be found in the Lifestyle section.

One month after the devastating earthquakes struck Zagreb, resulting in damage across the city and an enormous amount of cash needed to rectify it, we who live in Zagreb started our mornings with yet another earthquake shaking the ground beneath us. Another Zagreb earthquake, this time ''weighing in'' at a smaller 3.5 and a depth of two kilometres, struck the capital.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 23rd of April, 2020, the most recent Zagreb earthquake was also felt by local firefighters from Zagreb who were on the roof of a building at that very moment helping to repair the damage caused by the last, much stronger and more concerning earthquake that shook the city just a month ago.

While not at the level of the earthquake that hit the Croatian capital a month ago, the one that struck this morning was quite a strong. It certainly gave me a shock when my building began to shake and that all too familiar sound, a bit like a lorry or a train hurtling towards you, began once again. While nowhere near as loud as the sound last month, the events of March in Zagreb have left all of us who live there with a bit of stress.

The European Mediterranean Seismological Service (EMSC) reported that the most recent Zagreb earthquake's magnitude was 3.5 with a depth of two kilometres, which is why, despite it being short, it felt so strong.

We can all agree that firefighters are heroes. Whether they're putting out a blaze tearing through the dry Dalmatian forest in summer or rescuing a cat that got a little bit too curious from a tree, these people work selflessly to be at the aid of others. The last Zagreb earthquake saw two firefighters up on a roof this morning repairing the damage caused last month, and in an ironic and rather cruel twist of fate, another earthquake struck as they were busy doing that.

"When you're on the roof during the new earthquake," the Zagreb Fire Department wrote on its official Facebook page, under a photo of its tirelessly brave staff.

Follow our lifestyle page for more.

ZAGREB, April 22, 2020 - Construction and Physical Planning Minister Predrag Štromar said on Wednesday that the damage caused by the quake that struck Zagreb and its environs on March 22 had been estimated at 42 billion kuna.

Experts from Zagreb's Civil Engineering Faculty have made five estimates of the damage and chosen the one they think is the most realistic, Štromar said in an interview with Croatian Television.

He said that work on a law to regulate the reconstruction of residential and other buildings damaged in the quake was nearing completion and noted that buildings would be built to accommodate people left without their homes in the quake and that after their flats were rebuilt, those buildings would be used as student dormitories.

Štromar said that money for reconstruction would be sought from the European Commission and World Bank, that a donor conference would be held but that some of the money would have to come from budget reserves as well.

Rebuilding chimneys and restoring heating and hot water is the top priority at the moment, to be followed by the reconstruction of schools, hospitals and other buildings, said the minister.

As for family houses, the minister said that those that were beyond repair would be torn down and that the ministry would help rebuild them.

More news about the earthquake can be found in the Lifestyle section.

14. travanj 2020 — Mnogi iz dijaspore vjerojatno osjećaju potrebu pomoći Hrvatskoj u borbi s pandemijom koronavirusa i višestrukim potresima koji su pogodili Zagreb gotovo istovremeno, ali se ipak suzdržavaju.

Lako je dopustiti da prevladaju ciničnost i potištenost, posebno kad se čini da postoje vrlo upitne "dobrotvorne organizacije" koje glume da se bore protiv virusa, a zapravo varaju donatore i uzimaju njihov novac diljem svijeta.

Ipak, postoje dobro provjerene, učinkovite međunarodne i lokalne humanitarne organizacije koje pomažu na terenu u Hrvatskoj. Njihovi postupci zaista čine razliku na terenu, te zaslužuju vašu podršku - bilo financijsku, bilo neki drugi oblik.

Hrvatski crveni križ — Crveni križ nastavlja svoju ulogu kao organizacija koja pomaže kod gotovo svake nezgode. Organizacija za pomoć radi zajedno s najžešćim navijačima Dinama Zagreb, Bad Blue Boysima Plavom Srcu, humanitarnom programu pomoći onima kojima je teško ostvariti normalan život nakon potresa.

Volonteri Crvenog križa također pomažu na terenu s dostavama i drugim oblicima pomoći starijim i bolesnim osobama diljem svijeta.

Donirajte ovdje.
Ili im novac pošaljite direktno na
IBAN: HR8523600001502750000

UNICEF — Najvažnija organizacija za pomoć djeci Ujedinjenih naroda pokrenula je krajem ožujka kampanju za pomoć medicinskom osoblju i obrazovnim institucijama, kao i za pomoć djeci i obiteljima. Ova akcija uključuje medicinsku opremu, maske, rukavice i respiratore.

Donacija UNICEF-u također ima utjecaj širenja na zajednicu, jer organizacija pomaže djeci i obiteljima s provlemima da dobiju psiho-socijalnu pomoć.

Donirajte ovdje.
Ili im novac pošaljite direktno na
IBAN: HR1723600001501092524 ; uz poziv na broj 2063-989

Jedni Za Druge i Potres Hrvatska — Ove Facebook groupe odgovor su na dvostruku nedaću koja je zadesila zemlju, pri čemu se jedna uglavnom bavi koronavirusom, a druga na potres u Zagrebu. Obje se temelje na razmjeni, spajajući one koji nešto trebaju s onima koji to (uslugu ili proizvod) nude. Bilo da se radi o odlasku u kupovinu namirnica ili nekom drugom manjem zadatku, cilj je spojiti ljude kojima pomoć treba s onima koji su je spremni pružiti. Ako ste u Hrvatskoj i možete nekome ponekad pomoći, priključite se grupi - možda baš nekome od vaših susjeda nešto treba.

Priključite se grupi “Jedni Za Druge” za vaš grad na Facebooku, ili krovnoj grupi kako bi ste saznali kako možete pomoći.

Hrvatska Mreža za Beskućnike — Uz starije i osobe lošega zdravlja, beskućnike čeka teža borba protiv COVID-19 od većine. Ova grupa obavila je mnoštvo posla na terenu, distribuirajući hranu i odjeću beskućnicima u Hrvatskoj, uglavnom u Zagrebu.

Donirajte ovdje.
Ili im novac pošaljite direktno na
IBAN: HR1723600001501092524 

Ako želite ostvariti veći utjecaj sa značajnijom donacijom, humanitarne organizacije možete provjeriti kroz Charity Navigator (Navigator humanitarnih organizacija), koji ocjenjuje te organizacije prema njihovoj učinkovitosti.

April 14, 2020 — With the coronavirus pandemic and repeated earthquakes hitting Zagreb in rapid succession, the diaspora and others watching from afar may feel the urge to help, but hold back.

It’s easy to let cynicism and despondency reign, especially when there seems to be a rash of dubious “charities” ostensibly fighting the virus but actually bilking donors for money all around the world.

But there are some well-credited, effective international and local organizations making a difference on the ground in Croatia. They’re making a real difference on the ground, and worthy of your support - monetary or otherwise.

Croatian Red Cross — The Red Cross has continued its role as the catchall for nearly every calamity. The aide organization is working along with Dinamo Zagreb’s Bad Blue Boys ultras in Plavo Srce (Blue Heart), a humanitarian aid program to help those unable to piece together a normal life after the earthquake.

The Red Cross’s volunteers are also helping on the ground with deliveries and other help for the elderly and handicapped, all around the country.

Donate here.
Or wire directly them directly.
IBAN: HR8523600001502750000

UNICEF — The United Nations’ main children’s organization in late March launched a campaign to aid medical professionals, educational institutions and to help children and families. This includes medical equipment, masks, gloves and respirators.

A donation to UNICEF has a trickle-down effect, as the organization helps struggling children and families with psychosocial assistance.

Donate here.
Or wire directly to:
HR1723600001501092524 
Routing No. 2063-989

Jedni Za Druge and Potres Hrvatska— These Facebook groups are a response to the dueling calamities hitting the country, the former mainly focused on coronavirus, the latter on Zagreb’s earthquake. Both work as exchanges, connecting those in need with those ready to help. Whether it be grocery shopping or some other menial task, the goal is to match people who need help with those willing to help. If you’re in Croatia and can make the effort someone, join the group. You might find a neighbor in need.

Join the “Jedni Za Druge” group for your city or town on Facebook, or join the umbrella group to find out how you can help.

Hrvatska Mreža za Beskućnike (Croatian Homeless Network) — Aside from the elderly and already-sick, homeless persons face a bigger battle with COVID-19 than most. This group has done plenty of on-the-ground work distributing food and clothing to Croatia’s homeless, mostly in Zagreb.

Donate here.
Or wire directly to their Croatian accounts:
IBAN: HR6823600001102347110, Zagrebačka Banka

If you’re looking to make a broader impact with a bigger donation, run your charity of choice through Charity Navigator, which rates organizations based upon their effectiveness.