A new home for Kolinda?
A month after taking office, President Grabar-Kitarović has launched the procedure to determine the possible location for the Office of the President, in order to potentially move the president’s office to another location. However, so far there is no indication when the relocation commission which is considering the issue will finish its job, reports Novi List on August 20, 2015.
The commission, which began its work in May, has so far met only twice. The Office of the President has noted that “thanks to e-mails and phones, communication is constant”. At the same time, meetings of certain members of the commission are taking place, “depending on the areas of activities”.
During the election campaign, the current Croatian president promised that she would move her office to the Visoka Street. The members of the relocation commission have to determine whether the buildings there fulfil the requirements for the location of the office of the president. Also, they should determine whether there is a possibility that the presidential office could remain in a part of the current complex. If that is the case, the rest of the complex would possibly be devoted to some other public purpose.
Citing unofficial sources, the Nacional magazine has reported that the Visoka Street is still being considered, provided that the main building is supplemented with three other neighbouring buildings. However, according to sources, the other option is Banski Dvori building, which is now the seat of the government. That building would come into consideration in the event of a change of government after the forthcoming elections. The new government led by HDZ could move to the “Kockica”, the building now occupied by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure.
Asked whether there is a possibility of moving to Banski Dvori, the spokesperson for the Office of the President did not give a direct answer. “The commission’s task is to determine the criteria and requirements of the Office of the President, which so far have never been clearly defined and systematized. The list of criteria will be submitted to the State Office for Property Management which will, in accordance with the recommendations and established criteria, see which of its many properties meets the requirements.” It seems that there is no time limit for the commission to make its finding.
