Commission supports Croatia with €319 million for the series of earthquakes in Sisak-Moslavina, Karlovac and Zagreb Counties.

The Commission has adopted the financing decision awarding €319 million of EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) support to Croatia following the devastating series of earthquakes that hit Sisak-Moslavina, Karlovac and Zagreb Counties in December 2020 and January 2021.

This catastrophe came only a few months after the devastating earthquake that hit Zagreb and its surroundings in March 2020, for which the Commission granted EUSF support for about €684 million to Croatia in 2020.

This financial support will help finance the restoration of key infrastructure in the field of energy, water and wastewater, telecommunications, transport, health and education.

Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira i said: “Croatia has gone through two terrible earthquakes in March 2020 and again a series of earthquakes in December 2020 and January 2021. The financial support from the EU Solidarity Fund to Croatia will contribute to the essential recovery efforts after the devastation brought by the earthquakes and it is a visible sign of EU solidarity.”

Background

On 18 March 2021, Croatia submitted an application for a contribution from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to finance emergency and recovery operations following the series of earthquakes starting from 28 December 2020.

Following the assessment of the application, the Commission proposed to the budget authority a financial contribution from the EUSF of €319 million, which was approved.

€41 million were already paid to Croatia as an advance in August 2021. The balance payment of around €277.8 million was executed on 30 December 2021.