President Milanović Endorses “Zagreb Project” of Post-Earthquake Reconstruction

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović held a meeting today at the Office of the President with the authors of the international interdisciplinary project “Zagreb Project” dedicated to the development of scientific and professional guidelines for the reconstruction of earthquake-affected areas in Zagreb. The University of Zagreb’s Faculty of Civil Engineering and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne, whose representatives presented the “Zagreb Project” to President Milanović, have developed the project together.

The project’s initiator was Igor Tomić, a doctoral student at the Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics Laboratory of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne, who explained that after the earthquake in Zagreb he contacted his colleagues, twenty earthquake engineering experts, who expressed a desire to get involved. They then contacted Professor Josip Atalić of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, who led volunteers to the earthquake-affected areas, and together they started working on a project proposal.

Their cooperation on the “Zagreb Project” should result in scientific and professional guidelines for post-earthquake reconstruction, which should also ensure less costly and higher quality reconstruction. The guidelines are expected to be of particular significance for the reconstruction of downtown Zagreb, as EPFL experts specialize in the restoration of historical and cultural buildings. In order to implement the project, they plan to apply for financial assistance through Swiss and European Union funds, the project participants explained at the meeting. President Milanović voiced his support for the initiative.  

Apart from Igor Tomić, also attending the meeting at the Office of the President were professors of the Department of Engineering Mechanics of the University of Zagreb’s Faculty of Civil Engineering Josip Atalić and Mario Uroš, and the Head of the Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics Laboratory of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne Katrin Beyer.

Attending the meeting alongside President Milanović were Special Adviser to the President of the Republic for the Economy Velibor Mačkić and Assistant Adviser to the President of the Republic for the Economy Martina Ciglević.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić