ZAGREB, 8 May 2022 - The Croatian Red Cross is marking World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day actively, by helping to remedy the consequences of the devastating earthquakes in the Banovina region and assisting Ukrainian refugees.

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, observed on 8 May, marks the beginning of Red Cross Week, when various activities are undertaken to acquaint the citizens with the operation of the Croatian Red Cross and its 131 local organisations.

"The past years and months have witnessed many crises that spared no one and hit the most vulnerable groups the worst - from the COVID pandemic to climate change to humanitarian emergencies to earthquakes and the escalation of conflicts," said Robert Markt, Executive President of the Croatian Red Cross.

He said that hundreds of volunteers were assisting Ukrainian refugees on a daily basis as well helping earthquake victims in the Banovina region.

The provision of care for Ukrainian refugees is currently the biggest and most challenging operation of the Croatian Red Cross, involving 100 of its local organisations across the country.

"Nearly 10,000 Ukrainians are currently registered in the Red Cross system and most of them have applied for our assistance. These are mainly women and children, and in addition to food, hygiene products, clothing and footwear, they often also need psychosocial support," Markt said.

The Red Cross is opening a Centre for Intergenerational Support in Petrinja on Sunday, consisting of specially equipped containers where various activities will be organised as part of psychosocial support for earthquake victims, in particular children and the elderly. It will be the first such centre in Croatia.

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28 March 2022 - Red Cross Croatia said on Monday that it had raised more than HRK 1.8 million for Ukrainian refugees staying in Croatia to procure goods other than standard humanitarian aid, such as medical food, bed linen, footwear and the like, and which is currently received by 3,279 refugees.

The appeal for assistance to Ukrainian refugees is still underway and everyone wishing to help can do so by making a payment into the following drawing account:

IBAN: HR0923600001503056530
Authorisation code: 705
Bank: Zagrebačka banka d.d., Zagreb, Trg bana J. Jelačića 10
Recipient: Hrvatski Crveni križ, Ulica Crvenog križa 14-16, Zagreb
For payments from abroad: BIC (SWIFT) code: ZABAHR2XXXX

Donations may also be made via mobile banking applications by using the 2D barcode as well as by dialling the donation number 060 9011.

HCK notes that it continues to collect material donations and that anyone wishing to make a donation can find the list of goods for donation at www.hck.hr.

So far, 6,187 Ukrainians have approached the Red Cross search service to help them re-establish contact with their family members.  

Red Cross aid in the form of food, hygiene and children's products is currently received by 3,279 persons, that is, all the persons who have sought it.

Red Cross also provides psychosocial support to the refugees, as well as help with integration, school enrollment, health protection, language learning, etc. 

ZAGREB, 1 March 2022 - Red Cross Croatia on Tuesday made a fundraising appeal for Ukrainian  refugees and displaced persons following Russia's invasion of their country.

Red Cross Croatia said that money can be donated via its bank account,  IBAN: HR0923600001503056530, Poziv na broj odobrenja 705, Zagrebačka banka d.d., Zagreb, Trg bana J. Jelačića 10, primatelj Hrvatski Crveni križ, Ulica Crvenog križa 14-16 Zagreb.

For donations from abroad, the BIC (SWIFT) code is ZABAHR2XXXX

Donations can also be made via mobile phone apps using the 2D barcode.

All the proceeds will be used to assist refugees and displaced persons who are being cared for by the International Red Cross and the Red Crescent in Ukraine and other countries which have taken in refugees, including Croatia.

ZAGREB, 19 Dec, 2021 - The Red Cross Croatia on Sunday started distributing 800 Christmas gifts for children from earthquake-affected and destitute families in Sisak-Moslavina County.

The campaign, launched ahead of the coming holidays and the first anniversary of a strong earthquake that hit the central region of Banovina on 29 December 2020, started on Sunday in Sisak and will continue in the coming days in Petrinja, Glina and Hrvatska Kostajnica.

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ZAGREB, 2 April, 2021 - Two grant agreements worth HRK 6.7 million were handed over in Petrinja on Friday for projects by the local development agency PETRA and the Red Cross office in Sisak.

Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy Minister Josip Aladrović said that the first agreement was financed with EU funds in the amount of HRK 2.5 million and was intended for the establishment of a centre for social entrepreneurship in Petrinja.

The other grant agreement, worth close to HRK 4.2 million, is intended to help alleviate poverty in the region of Banovina and northern Croatia, through donations of food and/or basic material assistance.

Attending the ceremony at which the grant agreements were handed over were also War Veterans Minister Tomo Medved, who heads the task force dealing with the aftermath of the 29 December earthquake in Sisak-Moslavina County, and local officials.

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ZAGREB, 1 April, 2021 - War Veterans Minister Tomo Medved, who heads the task force dealing with the aftermath of the 29 December earthquake in Sisak-Moslavina County, has said that local communities could take over, through local hospitality service providers, the preparation of meals for people affected by the quake.

This past weekend the Croatian Red Cross (HCK) distributed 21,000 tonnes of food, 14,000 warm meals and 5,675 litres of water, Medved said at a government session on Thursday.

He said that local government units had been suggested to take over, if possible, through local providers of hospitality services, the preparation of meals, which would help local employers and enable employment of local workers.

Medved noted that the state would continue to pay for the meals as long as necessary.

He added that water in the entire area was safe for consumption and that the HCK and the Croatian Firefighters Association were working on pumping out and rehabilitating wells, with 63 wells having been pumped out and 42 rehabilitated.

The local water supply network is being reconstructed and a new network of arterial water mains is being built, he said.

"Requests have been submitted for the removal of 560 buildings and 6,447 requests have been submitted for renovation work," Medved said speaking about the situation three months since the 6.2 magnitude earthquake.

So far, 1,805 housing containers and small houses have been installed and 2,141 have been connected to the power grid.

Five new mobile network stations have been installed to improve mobile signal strength.

By 28 March, 37,954 facilities were inspected, and of them 4,602 were found to be unfit to live in, 8,180 were found to need repair work and 25,000 were found to be fit to live in, Medved said.

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ZAGREB, 26 February, 2021 - The Red Cross Croatia has so far paid 80% of the HRK 51 million raised as earthquake relief to 31,835 households whose properties were damaged.

HCK executive president Robert Markt told a news conference in Petrinja on Friday that the Red Cross had started distributing aid to the owners of damaged properties in Sisak-Moslavina, Karlovac and Zagreb counties.

Over the past three weeks, 34,580 claims for financial aid have been submitted and another 354 are being checked for compliance with the set requirements, he said.

Single-person households to receive HRK 900, others HRK 1,900

Markt went on to say that 10,039 claims for aid had been submitted by single-person households, which would each receive HRK 900 (€119), while 21,796 had been submitted by households with more than one member, and they would each be given HRK 1,900 (€251).

"We had expected that we would be able to help every household more significantly, but the unexpectedly large number of claims has determined the final value of grants," said Markt.

He added that 80% of the funds raised had already been paid into the earthquake victims' bank accounts and that Croatian Post would deliver the remaining ones to earthquake victims in the next few days.

"That way we have done everything we have announced and promised," he said.

He noted that the amount of grants was not conditional on the degree of property damage, announcing that the funds to be collected subsequently would be distributed in line with the same model or would be donated for the renovation of kindergartens, depending on the amount raised.

Markt thanked all citizens and companies in the country and abroad for helping the Red Cross raise more than HRK 51 million.

Of that amount, 1.7 million was donated by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and national Red Cross organisations.

Markt stressed that the Red Cross toll-free phone line would be open until March 28 and that more donations were expected.

ZAGREB, 20 February, 2021 - Red Cross Croatia executive president Robert Markt said on Friday that the Red Cross had so far raised HRK 48.6 million (close to €6.4 million) for victims of the 29 December earthquake and that one-off allowances would be paid to all citizens whose properties were damaged. 

The citizens whose damaged properties are located in Sisak-Moslavina, Zagreb and Karlovac counties were able to submit their applications for aid by February 19. So far, 19,000 applications have been received.

In an interview with Nova TV, Markt said the Red Cross would wait for applications that had been sent by post to process them as well.

He explained that the two main criteria for aid were that the applicant had permanent or temporary residence in the earthquake-hit area on 29 December and that they had proof of the damage caused to their property.

Markt could not say how much the one-off allowance would amount to, noting that it would depend on the number of applicants. He added, however, that it would be different for single-person households and families.

Markt also said that the campaign to raise money for the earthquake victims would last until the end of March.

He stressed that donations continued arriving to the earthquake-hit area.

"We are glad that Croatian and international companies keep contacting us with offers and donations," he said.

January 29, 2021 - As a global and socially responsible company that actively participates in the local community's life, to help the earthquake-affected areas, Samsung Electronics Adriatic donated 150,000 kunas to the Croatian Red Cross.

Due to the strong earthquake that hit Banovina at the end of 2020, including the towns of Petrinja, Sisak, and Glina and the surrounding area, many lost their homes and property. A month after the 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit Sisak-Moslavina County, donations do not stop coming from all sides. Samsung Electronics Adriatic also decided to make a contribution and, together with its employees, made a financial donation to the Croatian Red Cross to help earthquake-affected areas.

Samsung responded to the Red Cross's appeal with this donation to help the residents of the affected areas, to provide them with the necessary assistance and decent living conditions.

"As an international company that actively participates in the daily life of the local community, Samsung has decided to donate 150,000 kunas to the Croatian Red Cross, which is currently working on collecting humanitarian aid, so that all affected citizens get the help they need. An additional contribution to this donation was provided by the company's employees, who donated their own funds. At Samsung Electronics Adriatic, we think globally and act locally," said the newly elected President of Samsung Electronics Adriatic Hyoung Min. Park.

Samsung Electronics Adriatic operates in eight countries in the region. These include Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, and Northern Macedonia. It sets new standards in the world of televisions, smartphones, wearables, tablets, digital home devices, network systems, as well as solutions in the areas of memory, LSI systems, and LED devices.

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ZAGREB, January 9, 2021 - In the last 24 hours the Red Cross has distributed 12,600 tonnes of food in Sisak-Moslavina County, Minister Tomo Medved, who heads the task force for dealing with the aftermath of the 29 December quake, told press on Saturday morning.

In the last 24 hours, 12,600 tonnes of food has been distributed, including 18,580 hot meals for the population in the quake-affected area and 2,377 meals to emergency services and personnel on the ground, Medved told the specialised radio broadcast dedicated to the developments in Sisak-Moslavina County since the devastating quake and aftershocks.

He added that a viable plan was being devised to have long-term solution for providing food and meals and thanked all cooks, chefs and hospitality businesses that arrived in the county immediately after the quake to help in preparing meals for people who were left homeless in the disaster.

On Friday, 86 heaters plus five gas-powered generator units were also delivered, and 295 psychological counseling services were offered, while the relevant services visited 11 villages, hamlets and settlement in 24 hours, Medved said.

Currently, 1,914 members of emergency services are being deployed in the area concerned. Those are personnel of the Civil Protection, Firefighting Community, the HGSS Mountain Rescue Service, Red Cross, police, army service people, engineers and so on.

Commenting on the local economy, Medved said that the meat processing company Gavrilovic did its business as usual.

Additional HRK 160 million for job-retention scheme for quake-affected businesses

The government has in the meantime set aside 160 million kuna to help businesses in the quake-hit area. They will be covered by the job-retention grants of 4,000 kuna per employee per month.  An estimated 20,000 workers are likely to be encompassed by this measure, and thus HRK 160 million should be set aside for this purpose in the first two months of 2021.

Prefab containers being provided

Medved said that to date 297 mobile homes had been dispatched to the quake-hit county, and an additional 70 containers were expected to arrive from Turkey to Croatia in the course of Saturday or Sunday. He also praised private donations and initiative to provide temporary accommodation for quake victims. 

Thus about 550 different types of objects have to date been made available for the temporary accommodation, according to Medved.

One-off grants for quake-affected households

The Labour Ministry has set aside the necessary amount of financial aid for quake-affected households, and single-person households are entitled to one-off grant in the amount of 2,500 kuna and households with more members can apply for a grant of HRK 3,500. So far, 2,800 applications have been received and a half of them have been processed.

(€1 = HRK 7.5)