President of the Republic Thanks Structural Engineers Who Volunteered after Earthquake

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović met with representatives of the Croatian Chamber of Civil Engineering and representatives of structural engineers, many of whom volunteered to help after the recent earthquake in Zagreb. President Milanović thanked them for their selfless work and efforts, and they presented their views on the post- earthquake situation in Zagreb, stressing the importance of taking into account professional views and opinions in the upcoming repairs of the damaged buildings.

“Repairing earthquake damage is work that must be carried out primarily by the Government, namely the State. It is important that Zagreb be reconstructed in a quality manner, according to recommendations by professionals, and that we as a State learn from this natural disaster and pass legislation that will minimize damage in the event of similar natural disasters,” President Milanović stated.

Representatives of the Chamber of Civil Engineering and structural engineers who are volunteering presented their comments on the law on damage repair to President Milanović, underscoring that the legislature should listen more to opinions and recommendations of professionals. Furthermore, they also called for the establishment of an expert response team at the State level, which could quickly and effectively respond and coordinate in case of natural disasters because, as they stressed, emergency care following an earthquake cannot be based on volunteering and the enthusiasm of citizens.