Glina, 7 May 2018 – Today in Glina, RHP stakeholders celebrated the inauguration of a new home for 74 RHP beneficiaries.

The sub-project encompasses the reconstruction and extension of a home for elderly and disabled refugees, returnees and IDPs, in order to provide them with adequate accommodation, social and health care. The home in Glina is part of the homes for elderly included in the national welfare system.

The reconstruction works started in August 2015, and the usage permit was obtained in June 2017. Sisak-Moslavina County, as the owner of the facility, then proceeded with hiring of the staff and other administrative arrangements, to enable the opening ceremony to take place today. The total cost of the reconstruction works, including medical and other equipment, amounts to some EUR 4.2 million, 25% of which is financed by Croatia and 75% by the RHP Fund.

This sub-project is one of the flagship projects of the RHP as it demonstrates how, even in a complex institutional environment and with a large number of stakeholders involved, it is possible to join efforts to create the best possible living conditions for the most vulnerable. What’s more, the Glina home for the elderly also has an important side effect as it creates several permanent jobs in a region marked by important unemployment rate.   

Nikola Mazar, State Secretary at the Central State Office for Reconstruction and Housing Care stated: “I am happy that today, 74 of the most vulnerable RHP beneficiaries will finally be settled after spending 27 years in temporary collective accommodation. The home will employ more than 35 people, who are at the disposal of the beneficiaries 24 hours a day.”

Mr Ivo Bozic, beneficiary: I would like to thank all of you who had strength and good will to take care of us old, sick, invalid. I would like to thank you in the name of my friends who couldn’t get up from their beds and talk to you.

The Central State Office for Reconstruction and Housing Care selected, in close co-operation with UNHCR, the 74 persons that the home will now accommodate. Mr Giuseppe Di Caro, UNHCR representative in Croatia, said: “I am glad to be present here today, when we open the door of this home to its beneficiaries. I would like to congratulate the Government of Croatia for successfully completing the 4th RHP project, thus being a frontrunner in this very important regional initiative.”

Ms Renata Tominovic-Cekovic, Director of the home: “Once you are 80 years old, you know everything, but you still need to have decent living conditions, and it is up to us, younger people, to help you to obtain it. I believe that today here in Glina, we succeeded. This building was empty and devastated for years, and now life has been brought back into it.”

Ms Rima Joujou-Deljkic, Representative of the European Commission in Croatia: “We are very happy and honoured to be here today and celebrate this special moment when 74 most vulnerable people are entering the premises in which they will spend the rest of their lives.”

RHP info desk:  Secretariat of the Regional Housing Programme ceb-rhp@coebank.org