The authorities say - we didn't build the road, you find your own way and jump into the sea

Marijana Puljak, a member of Croatia's parliament representing the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), has strongly criticized the government and local authorities over their decision not to activate the Early Warning and Crisis Management System (SRUUK) during a major fire near Omis last week. The fire, which broke out in the early hours of the morning, forced the evacuation of several communities and resulted in significant material damage. According to Puljak, the system, costing over 8.4 million euros, was deliberately left inactive despite its purpose being to warn citizens of imminent danger and provide clear instructions on how to respond. Puljak expressed her outrage through a detailed public statement, emphasizing that the failure to activate the system was not due to technical limitations but rather a conscious choice made by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Split-Dalmatian County Mayor Blaženka Boban. She cited their explanations as alarming: Plenković claimed the fire spread too quickly and occurred at night, implying that residents would have already noticed the flames and organized themselves accordingly. Boban added that issuing an alert might have caused panic and blocked the only available road, which he suggested was the real reason behind the silence. The politician argued that this reasoning was flawed. She pointed out that the primary function of the SRUUK system is not merely to inform people that a fire exists, something they can see with their own eyes, but to awaken them during critical times such as nighttime and guide them with specific actions, including where to go and what to do. She highlighted that the lack of a safe escape route, specifically the unfinished motorway connecting Split to Omis, was a contributing factor to the crisis. This infrastructure issue, she noted, had been raised repeatedly in the parliament over the years. Puljak recounted a personal memory of a past fire that affected her family, describing how her sister was stranded on a dock while watching their home burn down, with no viable escape other than jumping into the sea. She drew a parallel between that experience and the current situation, suggesting that the government’s inaction was leaving people vulnerable once again. The fire near Omis brought attention to the state of emergency management systems and infrastructure in Croatia. The SRUUK system, designed to send alerts via mobile phones and other technologies, is managed by different bodies depending on the type of threat. For wildfires, the decision to issue an alert lies with the Chief Firefighting Officer of the Republic of Croatia. However, according to reports, the system did not activate during the incident, raising questions about why the alert was not issued. The Ministry of Internal Affairs was asked by media outlet 24sata why the SRUUK system was not activated during the fire, but an official response had yet to be released at the time of reporting. Meanwhile, the incident has sparked broader discussions about the adequacy of Croatia’s disaster preparedness measures and the need for improved infrastructure to ensure public safety during emergencies. Puljak called for urgent action, stating that the country does not need a silent system that avoids causing traffic congestion. Instead, she emphasized the necessity of a system that actively saves lives and the importance of completing the Split-Omis motorway to provide a secure escape route for residents in case of future disasters. Her message was clear: the government must take responsibility for ensuring both effective warning systems and essential infrastructure to protect citizens from harm.