President Milanović: Every euro of EU funding must be spent on reconstruction, as these funds will no longer be available in a year or two

“European funds must be utilized with the utmost seriousness and ambition, ensuring that every euro within reach is spent. After all, if we fail to do so, we may well ask ourselves what we are doing in the European Union. We must make use of everything available to us because, sooner or later – whether in a year, two, or three – funding of the kind used to renovate the Academy of Fine Arts building will no longer be available,” President Zoran Milanović said today at the ceremonial opening of the renovated Academy of Fine Arts building at the University of Zagreb and the “Slava Raškaj” facility on Ilica Street.

However, President Milanović stressed that the future lack of EU funding for renovation “must not serve as an excuse” to halt the reconstruction of Zagreb. “It must not be a reason, or even a thought, to stop this work, which is enormous and will extend into another generation. Let us look around and see how much work remains to be done in Zagreb, Croatia’s largest city. This is not a criticism of anyone, because it is an enormous task for the city authorities and the state, within the scope of its responsibilities, but also for citizens, property owners, residents of these blocks, and everyone who lives here,” the President said.

He described the newly renovated Academy building as a striking example of “neglect and a lack of investment, not in heritage but in property itself – an example of neglect that persisted during the time of the former state and has continued in our own time.” “It took an earthquake for this place to finally shine. The work took a long time, but in the end we have a completed project here,” President Milanović said, questioning why so much time had elapsed between the start of the work and the ceremonial opening.

In this context, he recalled that more than a century ago, the construction of some of Zagreb’s best-known buildings – the Croatian National Theatre, the Upper Town Gymnasium, and the Croatian State Museum – took less than two years. “A thousand people worked on them; the technology was simpler, yet things moved quickly, and those buildings, which did receive some investment, are still standing today. I want our inner drive, our awareness, our needs, and our ambition to preserve and advance to reflect the same spirit that existed in 1907,” President Milanović said, noting that European Union funds did not exist at the time, yet important buildings such as the Academy were constructed on modest budgets. “These monuments were built neither with European Union funds, since the European Union did not exist, nor with donations from Vienna, but from the treasury of the administration of the then Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia,” he added, congratulating everyone who had participated in the renovation from beginning to end: the architects, construction workers, financial teams, and the government ministries involved.

In addition to President Milanović, the following speakers addressed the gathering at the ceremonial opening: Prof. Aleksandar Battista Ilić, Ph. D., Acting Dean of the Academy of Fine Arts; Jelena Grabovac, Director of the “Slava Raškaj” Center for Education and Rehabilitation; Prof. Stjepan Lakušić, Ph. D., Rector of the University of Zagreb; Emina Višnić, representative of the Mayor of Zagreb and Head of the City Office for Culture and Civil Society; and Nina Obuljen Koržinek, representative of the Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Media.

Following the 2020 earthquakes, which caused severe structural damage, and thanks to European funding, support from the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth, assistance from the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets, and the support of the University of Zagreb, the Academy of Fine Arts now has premises that preserve its historical identity while meeting modern standards of seismic safety, fire protection, energy efficiency, and accessibility.

More than €41 million in European Union funding was secured for the comprehensive renovation of the three buildings of the Academy of Fine Arts at the University of Zagreb, located at Ilica 85, Ilica 83, and Jabukovac 10. The funding was provided through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the European Union Solidarity Fund.

The building at Ilica 83 holds a special place in the history of Zagreb. Its oldest sections date back to the mid-19th century, and the building is connected with the development of public health, education, and care for children with disabilities. The Academy and the institution that now bears the name Slava Raškaj have shared the same premises and courtyard since their beginnings.

Following the ceremonial opening, President Milanović, accompanied by the Acting Dean of the Academy of Fine Arts and the Director of the “Slava Raškaj” Center for Education and Rehabilitation, toured the renovated buildings of the Academy of Fine Arts and the “Slava Raškaj” facility. President Milanović was accompanied by Jadranka Žarković, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Education, and Zdravko Zima, Special Adviser to the President of the Republic for Culture.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan