Anka Mrak Taritaš is not satisfied with the ‘dynamics of resolving requests’

In the Split-Dalmatia County, approximately 10,000 requests for the legalization of illegally constructed buildings have currently been submitted, and about 20 percent of them have been resolved so far, said today the Minister of Construction and Spatial Planning Anka Mrak Taritaš in Split, where she presented proposals for new laws on spatial planning, construction, and inspection procedures.

The habit of our people is to wait until the last moment, says Mrak Taritaš, who expects a much larger influx of requests for legalization by the end of June, which is the deadline for submitting requests.

She reiterated that the Ministry is not satisfied with the dynamics of resolving requests.

The legalization law is structured to be fast and operational. We are dissatisfied with the dynamics of issuing permits because that is currently the weakest link. People have recognized the law, submitted requests for legalization, but the offices are not resolving them as they should, said the minister.

She cited the example of the city of Dubrovnik, which has resolved 50 percent of its requests for legalization, while, for example, Kaštela has resolved less than 10 percent.
-Here, the same environment is compared, and if Dubrovnik can resolve half of its requests, I do not see why Kaštela cannot do the same- said Mrak Taritaš, adding that she discussed this over coffee this morning with Ivo Baldasar, and will do the same with other candidates for mayors and county heads, to explain how this can be resolved and propose measures.

She believes it is more operational for all of this to happen at the local level.

-If by September we do not see any progress, we will organize everything at the state level, we will form teams and take money from the budget for counties and cities. Laws must be operational, and people need to receive solutions in a reasonable timeframe- she stated.

Presenting three new laws – on spatial planning, construction, and construction inspection, which the Ministry submitted for public discussion at the beginning of the week, she emphasized that they accelerate the deadlines for issuing permits.

We are introducing a series of innovations into the planning system to make it more efficient, and in the permit system, we are introducing one – a building permit, said Mrak Taritaš.

She emphasized that the project of organizing things in space means legalization, coverage by plans, and fast, efficient issuance of permits.

When asked by journalists how long it will take to obtain a building permit, she said it would be a month, but that the problem is not the deadline, but that permits are issued on time.

As a new element that already caused confusion during yesterday’s first presentation in Zadar, she mentioned responsibility.

-The responsibility lies with the designer, because if they create a project that does not comply with the laws, their license to operate can be revoked. But the responsibility also lies with the office that does not issue permits within a certain timeframe. The offices were indeed disturbed when they realized that the ministry could initiate disciplinary responsibility against someone who did not issue a permit on time, as well as a financial penalty against the office that failed to do so- said Minister Mrak Taritaš.

Journalists were also interested in the situation with illegal buildings in the Marjan Park Forest, where there are 68 buildings outside the construction area without a permit, as well as 120 buildings in the city that are located in the corridor.

Such buildings can only be legalized on the condition that the city of Split amends its spatial plan, abolishes the corridor, and provides for the possibility of construction on Marjan. There are about 200 such buildings in Split, replied Mrak Taritaš.

She also announced that there will be no demolitions along the coast during the tourist season, but that excavators will return in the fall.