Zagreb - The Sabor adopted a new Reconstruction Act on Friday by a majority vote, which should simplify and speed up the reconstruction of earthquake-affected areas, while the Opposition criticised the reconstruction efforts to date.
The new law, which received the votes from 99 deputies, joins the Reconstruction Fund and the Central State Office for Housing with the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets. Fifteen deputies voted against the bill and 16 abstained.
With the new approach to self-reconstruction, citizens will be paid the entire amount needed for reconstruction or the construction of a replacement house before the works begin.
The Croatian Real Estate Agency is authorised to build apartment buildings and acquire real estate for temporary accommodation.
Citizens will be given financial assistance for the removal of destroyed buildings, including auxiliary buildings and those for commercial use, as well as assistance for project development costs.
The law envisages granting those affected by the earthquakes ownership of a house or apartment instead of rebuilding or building a replacement family home.
A more efficient and appropriate public procurement is being introduced, and the highest price for services and works will be determined by bodies that will be decided by the government.
The transparency and visibility of the reconstruction process will be strengthened by the creation of a completely interactive online GIS application.
Ahead of the vote, some opposition MPs repeated their objections to the reconstruction process so far and the bill itself.
Until now, there was no political will for the reconstruction to take place, it was not Andrej Plenković's political priority, said Sandra Benčič (Green-Left Bloc). She believes that the new law finally provides a normal framework for the reconstruction to be carried out, if the political will exists for that to indeed occur.