More aid for Croatia earthquake relief: European Commission

ZAGREB – European Commission officials have pledged further aid to Croatia now that the first phase of disaster relief operations has concluded, in the wake of a devastating earthquake that struck the central part of the country on Tuesday, Croatian HINA news agency reported.

“I am here to express the EU's solidarity with the people of Petrinja, the people of Sisak-Moslavina County, and the people of Croatia after this tragedy,” European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic said during a visit to Petrinja, about 60km southeast of Zagreb, yesterday.

He was accompanied by Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic, European Commission Vice-President Dubravka Suica, and Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Natasa Tramisak.

Just hours after the 6.4-magnitude earthquake shook Croatia and the region, with the epicentre at Petrinja, the Croatian government applied to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for assistance and the mechanism was immediately activated, Lenarcic said.

That is proof of real and concrete solidarity, he added.

Lenarcic said that the aid would continue after the first phase, which focused on rescuing people and providing them with temporary accommodation. Croatia can also receive further aid from the European Solidarity Fund and other funds, he added.

“In all these phases, you can count on EU support. You are not alone, the whole of Croatia and the whole of the EU is with you,” he said.

He said that 2020 was a difficult year for the whole world because of the coronavirus pandemic, but that Croatia was affected more than others.

“Croatia was doubly affected, by the pandemic and by a series of earthquakes. I would like to offer my condolences to people who have lost their loved ones, who have been injured or who have been left without anything,” the Slovenian commissioner said.

Bozinovic said that tents and containers for temporary accommodation were already coming in after Croatia requested them through the EU emergency mechanism. 

“Slovenia delivered a certain quantity of containers already last night and shipments from other countries have come today," he said, adding that 14 countries had responded promptly.

Bozinovic said that Croatia would put in more requests for aid and that he was certain that member states would respond as best they could to meet the needs of the people in the earthquake-affected area. – Bernama, December 31, 2020