The Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds has announced that it will allocate 25 million euros out of the 400 million euros for strengthening the civil protection system to Croatian islands for adaptation to climate change. This funding will be used specifically for Life on Ošljak, an island in Croatia, to adapt to climate change and manage climate-related risks such as fires, storms, and droughts. The ministry told Hina that calls for grants will be published in the coming weeks for the purchase of rescue helicopters, firefighting equipment, and demining equipment.
In addition to the funds for the islands, the implementation of projects worth 400 million euros by 2029 includes the development of video surveillance and early fire detection systems, as well as investment in flood defense, especially in the Karlovac-Sisak area. The strategy also includes plans to establish regional centers of civil protection in Varaždin, Osijek, Rijeka, Split, and Zagreb.
The Directorate of Civil Protection is currently engaged in implementing projects worth 300 million euros with an additional 200 million euros planned. These projects focus on improving early warning systems, demining efforts, constructing a national teaching center for civil protection (CZ), commissioning a new operations center at CZ headquarters, modernizing communication systems within CZ headquarters, promoting equality among persons with disabilities in civil protection efforts, protecting cultural heritage and infrastructure resilience as well as procuring vehicles and equipment needed by members of state intervention services and civil protection units including an educational vehicle – an earthquake simulator.
An additional 105 million euros have been secured to invest in remotely controlled systems for chemical biological radiological or nuclear decontamination and fighting cross-border health threats as well as procurement of containers tents that can house up to one thousand people. These added capacities will be available to Croatia should there be a need to provide international assistance.