State authorities have ordered Primošten to hand over the fire engine to another municipality. It has refused.
The Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts has ordered Stipe Petrina, the Mayor of the Municipality of Primošten, to deliver a fire engine water tank to another municipality, but the Primošten Volunteer Fire Brigade (DVD) and Petrina have rejected this move, reports lokalni.hr on June 23, 2017.
“To take away Primošten’s single fire engine water tank in the middle of the tourist season in order to supply the Municipality of Ervenik with water is rude and complete nonsense. If they really take away our water tank, then I will file a criminal report against those responsible because they are endangering the lives of people, as well as property,” said Mayor Petrina in a letter to the Directorate for Commodity Reserves, after the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts ordered him to hand over the tank.
The Ministry ordered Primošten to hand over the multi-purpose tank for the transport of potable water no later than Friday. It would be temporarily used by the Municipality of Ervenik. “Even before the start of the new fire-fighting season, we have already had a few interventions. We do not have enough people, but we are doing our best. And now, we have received a notification that the tank will go to Ervenik for the purpose of transporting water. We are disgusted by someone’s decision to take away our most important fire-fighting vehicle in the middle of the tourist season. The safety of 15,000 guests and locals will no longer be the same. We will have only 42 litres of water per square kilometre or a single drop per square metre”, announced the local Volunteer Fire Brigade, adding that the decision was based on political reasons, because it “certainly represents an effort to buy votes for the ruling party in the Parliament or the County Assembly.”
Firefighters from Primošten have announced that they are ready to protest due to the tank issue. “Despite our oaths and professional standards, we will ignore events outside the municipality. We call on all members and people of good will to support us”, said the fire brigade, which received the tank two years ago, after the previous tank was burned in a fire.
In its order, the Directorate for Commodity Reserves quotes a contract signed with Primošten and requests that the tank should be located in Ervenik until the end of September. Petrina claims that the order is in contradiction with the contract on the use of the tank. “I have nothing against the Municipality of Ervenik and its inhabitants, but the problems of that municipality cannot be solved in June by taking away the tank that has been used by Primošten,” says Petrina.
Primošten authorities point out that issue of the water tank was mentioned this week in the Parliament, when MP Ranko Ostojić sent a question to Prime Minister Andrej Plenković asking why Primošten’s Volunteer Fire Brigade had been denied the right to continue using the tank and whether such a move in the middle of the summer season jeopardised the security of the locals and tourists.
