Croatia dismisses construction, regional development ministers

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said he has dismissed the ministers of construction and regional development and EU funds due to slow progress in rebuilding earthquake-hit areas of the country.

Plenkovic held a press conference Jan. 11 in the capital Zagreb to announce the changes in the government.

Construction Minister Ivan Paladina has often been the target of criticism over the failure to rebuild homes in Petrinja, which was mostly destroyed when a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck close to the town in December 2020. This was despite €700 million ($759 million) in aid being provided by the European Union.

There was also insufficient progress in the recovery of Banija, an area near the capital Zagreb, which was hit by a magnitude 5.3 earthquake in March 2020.

Plenkovic said the government appointed Branko Bacic to replace Paladina because of his political experience and expertise in the field of energy and Sima Erlic to replace regional development and EU funds minister Natasa Tramisak because he has knowledge about all processes related to regional development and the use of EU funds.

''I consider it appropriate and necessary for the rest of our mandate, or a year and a half, to replace them as of today,'' said Plenkovic

Erlic has been a state secretary in the regional development ministry since 2020.

Seven people died in the earthquake that occurred in Petrinja on Dec. 29, 2020.​