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Željko Uhlir
Episode · #468

ZGRADONAČELNIK Željko Uhlir

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

Croatia’s post-earthquake reconstruction has been a crucible for property management and legal frameworks, revealing deep-seated inefficiencies in how buildings are maintained and decisions are made. Željko Uhlir, State Secretary in the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction, and State Property, offers an insider's perspective on navigating this complex landscape. He discusses the shift from initial organizational hurdles to a more streamlined approach for mass reconstruction, and why the idea of individual 'self-reconstruction' often falls short. Uhlir also details the push for a new legal framework to replace outdated regulations, aiming to simplify procedures and empower co-owners. Listeners will gain a clear understanding of the challenges in property management, the pitfalls of crisis response, and the systemic changes required for future resilience.

Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Croatia received 19,600 applications for post-earthquake damage, a scale that initially overwhelmed the system. What began with organizational hurdles and two legislative changes is now shifting towards a more structured approach, proving that large-scale recovery requires systemic adaptation over individual case management.
02
Despite calls for 'self-reconstruction' after the earthquake, Željko Uhlir, with three decades of experience, strongly advises against it for multi-apartment buildings. Entrusting complex, high-value work to laypeople, he notes, often leads to fraud and poor execution, suggesting that professional oversight is not a luxury but a necessity in crisis repair.
03
Zagreb's largest building manager, overseeing 170,000 apartments across 11,000 buildings, was 'under-capacitated' to handle the post-earthquake reconstruction. Structures designed for routine maintenance often lack the surge capacity and specialized expertise required for widespread crisis response, highlighting a systemic vulnerability.
04
The latest legal amendments for earthquake reconstruction allow payments directly from the Ministry and Fund during the process, based on monthly invoices, rather than requiring co-owners to secure loans. This shift moves the financial burden from individual owners to a state-managed disbursement model, accelerating recovery by removing a key barrier.
05
Croatia's core legal framework for building management dates back to 1997, a set of transitional provisions within a property law. Uhlir points out that regulations conceived for a different time, even if functional for decades, eventually become an impediment to effective maintenance and investment.
06
Since 2018, the Ministry has been preparing a specific law for building management, aiming to 'simplify procedures' and make it easier for co-owners to make decisions. The intent is to encourage greater investment in building upkeep and modernization by removing the existing bureaucratic friction.
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