PM says gov't wants to help development of Gorski Kotar through new bill on mountain regions

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said in Delnice on Sunday the government wanted to enable a better development of the Gorski Kotar mountainous region and that a new bill on mountainous regions would be in procedure in the second quarter of the year.

He met with Delnice mayor Ivica Kovacevic and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County head Zlatko Komadina, and attended a meeting of the local emergency management centre together with Defence Minister Damir Krsticevic and Transport Minister Oleg Butkovic.

Plenkovic thanked everyone who worked hard in the past few days to alleviate the consequences of the heavy snowfall which hit Delnice and other parts of Gorski Kotar, saying the situation was getting back to normal very quickly as access to schools, hospitals and administration buildings had been restored and traffic was possible again.

Gorski Kotar is important for the government and the state, he said, adding that only 23,000 people live in this region which makes up 35% of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.

The government wants to improve the life of Gorski Kotar residents also through a new bill on mountainous regions, which it will discuss in the second quarter of the year in order to provide for the best possible development of the region, Plenkovic said.

He said everyone who had to would help the local population due to the inclement weather, calling on the locals to show solidarity and help their neighbours or elderly citizens if necessary.

He said all the relevant authorities were already thinking about possible flooding after the heavy snow started to melt.

Prefect Komadina said the biggest problem Gorski Kotar residents had was lack of funds, which should be dealt with fiscally as well as with a special law on such regions.

There has been heavy snowfall in Gorski Kotar in the past few days, including 150 cm recorded in Delnice. All services are on the ground and have been helped by over 300 army members with 30 vehicles to clean the snow since Thursday.

Text: Hina

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