From Mines to Trails: Swiss-Croatian collaboration transforms Croatia’s Kotar Forest
- by croatiaweek
- in News
An educational trail was officially inaugurated on Friday in the Kotar Forest between Sisak and Petrinja (Photo credit: Grad Petrinja)
ZAGREB, 13 Nov (Hina) – An educational trail was officially inaugurated on Friday in the Kotar Forest between Sisak and Petrinja after successful mine clearance as part of a CHF 6 million Swiss-Croatian cooperation project.
The Swiss-Croatian cooperation project has funded the removal of mines and social and economic integration in this area, one of the worst mine-infested parts of Croatia in the 1990s Homeland War.
As part of this cooperation programme mines left after the war were removed from an area of 3.26 square kilometres and also psycho-social measures were taken to help war victims and employ mine victims in the wider Kotar forest area.
Addressing today’s ceremony, Swiss Ambassador Urs Hammer said that the success of the mine clearance project was also a symbol of partnership-based cooperation between Switzerland and Croatia.
(Photo credit: Grad Petrinja)
Today we have closed a chapter of the difficult past and we can look forward to the future with more optimism.
The forest can now be used for different activities and recreation. This is also beneficial to the health of local residents, and the trail can be also attractive to travellers and enhance the quality of life in the area, Ambassador Hammer said.
Petrinja Mayor Magdalena Komes thanked the Swiss Confederation and other stakeholders involved in this project.
(Photo credit: Grad Petrinja)
The Regional Development and EU Funds Ministry’s state secretary, Zrinka Raguž, said that this was just one of a total of 11 projects valued at 43 million Swiss francs.
The second installment to be ensured through this partnership is worth CHF 46 million.
The head of the Croatian Mine Action Centre, Nikša Bogdanić, informed the ceremony that over 3,500 landmines and other unexploded devices were found in the Kotar Forest.
(Photo credit: Grad Petrinja)
In Sisak-Moslavina County, an area of 77 square kilometres was suspected of being mine-infested, and it remains to clear mines from 11.6 square kilometres until 2026.
