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Josip Atalić
Episode · #566

ZGRADONAČELNIK Josip Atalić

Guest Josip AtalićHosted by Tin BašićMay 3, 2026
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation

After a major earthquake, the immediate focus is on rebuilding. But what happens when the recovery effort extends beyond bricks and mortar, into the complex dynamics of human agreement and collective will? Josip Atalić, an associate professor of civil engineering and a key coordinator in Croatia's post-earthquake response, has seen this challenge play out from the ground up. He shares an unvarnished view of the country’s efforts, from securing a billion euros in EU funds for public infrastructure to the struggle of coordinating repairs in multi-apartment buildings where co-owners cannot agree. Atalić, who once criticised the system, now acknowledges the immense difficulty from the inside, calling it 'a really, really difficult job'. This conversation unpacks the delicate balance between state intervention and private ownership, revealing how a disaster can expose deep-seated issues of civic responsibility and preparedness. It will make you rethink what 'reconstruction' truly means beyond the physical structures, extending to the continuous care of our homes — 'an effort that must last forever,' as he puts it.

Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
The initial, rapid damage assessment by engineers, even with temporary stickers, was instrumental in securing a billion euros from the EU Solidarity Fund. Swift, visible data collection, however provisional, is the primary currency for international disaster aid.
02
Before working within the system, Josip Atalić was 'a big critic of everything.' Once inside, he found it 'a really, really difficult job.' The most vocal external critiques often miss the internal constraints and complexities that shape real-world disaster response.
03
Even with state funding covering most costs, the 51% agreement rule among co-owners in multi-apartment buildings often stalls reconstruction. Individual priorities and differing risk perceptions can override collective benefit, turning shared ownership into a barrier to public safety.
04
Josip Atalić insists that private building reconstruction 'must last forever,' not as an endless repair cycle, but as a continuous commitment to maintenance. Treat your home's structural integrity like your body's health or your car's upkeep — a constant, ongoing investment in safety and resilience.
05
Before the earthquake, when Atalić and his colleagues spoke of seismic risk, people 'looked at us as if we weren't normal,' dismissing the threat as a 'Yeti' no one had seen in a hundred years. Public disinterest in unseen risks means preparedness is often impossible until after a catastrophe forces a reset.
06
Croatia's reconstruction efforts immediately hit a wall of limited capacity: 'we cannot be ready for such a catastrophe in the sense that we have workers and designers ready for tomorrow.' No nation, however prepared, can instantly conjure the specialized labor and expertise required for a large-scale disaster, making this capacity gap a universal bottleneck.
07
The Zagreb Cathedral is being renovated in 'one, two, three years,' a process that 'everywhere else takes decades.' Concentrating resources on high-profile public symbols can demonstrate national resolve and accelerate complex projects, even as broader reconstruction continues.
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