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Stjepan Pavliša
Episode · #292

RITAM POSLA Stjepan Pavliša

Guest Stjepan PavlišaHosted by Lidija KiselyakMay 3, 2026
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation

Stjepan Pavliša operates in a world most of us never see, but which quietly shapes our daily safety and economy: the invisible integrity of pipelines, bridges, and storage tanks. For nearly three decades, his company PAEL has specialized in cathodic protection—a quiet, constant battle against corrosion that can be "a hundred times faster" underground than on the surface. He argues that we are often blind to this silent decay, reacting only after catastrophe strikes, when prevention would have been cheaper and safer. Pavliša reveals the systemic neglect of this critical infrastructure, from a lack of national standards to a scarcity of trained experts. He exposes the short-term thinking that prioritizes immediate cost savings over long-term stability and public safety. This conversation will make you question the hidden vulnerabilities in the systems we rely on every day, and how many of them are quietly failing beneath our feet.

Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Pavliša observes that when a major disaster occurs — an oil spill from a pipeline or a storage tank rupture — it's already too late for prevention. The true cost of neglecting invisible infrastructure isn't the repair bill, but the catastrophic consequences that could have been avoided with proactive, unseen maintenance: "When such a catastrophe occurs, it's already too late."
02
Corrosion on underground or submerged steel structures is "a hundred times faster" than what we visibly observe on fences or balconies. The most dangerous problems are often those hidden from view, accelerating silently while decision-makers prioritize visible, immediate concerns.
03
While countries like Algeria mandate comprehensive cathodic protection standards and employ large teams of engineers, Croatia has only "two or three internationally recognized, licensed experts." A lack of national standards and trained personnel isn't just an oversight; it's a systemic vulnerability that leaves critical infrastructure exposed to predictable failure.
04
Decision-makers often cut maintenance budgets on cathodic protection because its "indicator light is green" and they won't face the consequences of a failing pipeline "in their third or fourth term." Short-term budget cuts on invisible, long-term assets merely defer massive liabilities to future administrations, making "cheaper now" the most expensive option later.
05
The effectiveness of cathodic protection isn't immediately apparent like a light switch; it's only evident after "five or ten years" by comparing a protected pipeline to an unprotected one. Problems that manifest slowly and invisibly are the hardest to secure funding for, even when their eventual costs far outweigh the upfront investment.
06
Pavliša states that "ignorance is the biggest reason" for the widespread neglect of corrosion prevention, compounded by inadequate attention in technical education. Systemic failures in critical infrastructure often stem not from malicious intent or pure cost-cutting, but from a fundamental lack of awareness and specialized knowledge at all levels.
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