Komadina: The State Funds Counties and Cities Without Criteria

Zlatko Komadina, the Prefect of Primorje-Gorski Kotar, stated today that there are no criteria by which ministries allocate money to regional and local units, and the lack of these criteria gives ministers and their associates discretionary power to distribute funds as they wish, often based on political suitability and party affiliation.

At a press conference, Komadina presented the effects of the centralization of Croatia and, comparing the amounts of state aid received in the cities of Pula, Rijeka, Split, Zadar, Osijek, and Zagreb, as well as in the respective counties, asserted that there is a clear uneven distribution of funds, among other things considering the population of individual units. He stated that units with more of their own funds should receive less state money, and the budget relationship between Zagreb and other cities shows the “shine and misery of local self-government in Croatia,” as Zagreb has a budget equal to that of all other cities combined.

Budget revenues from aid from 2004 to 2007 are increasing in Zadar and Split-Dalmatia counties, while Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Istria counties are not faring well, which shows that money is directed based on where each minister is from. Komadina assessed that the unequal criteria are evident in road construction as well, since all Croatian roads are first built in full profile and then charged, except for the Rijeka – Zagreb highway.

“Only the Rijeka-Zagreb highway is being built with money from collected tolls, while all other roads are built from fuel prices,” said Komadina, presenting a calculation according to which citizens pay for the use of the Rijeka-Zagreb highway as if it were built in full profile, even though about 30 percent of that road is in a semi-profile, mainly in the area of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.

According to his calculations, citizens spend about 70 million kuna annually for a part of the road that does not yet exist, that is, for a part that has not been built in full profile, instead of that part being financed by a loan. Komadina assessed that the time has come for future authorities, whoever they may be, to return the money, and for the budgets of counties and cities to be increased so that they can build the necessary roads themselves. (Hina)