Hungarian and Croatian ministers opens Petrinja school built with Hungarian donation

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto and Croatian Science and Education Minister Radovan Fuchs today opened a new primary school in Petrinja, whose construction, after a devastating earthquake in December 2020, Hungary financed with €21 million.

The new school building was completed in late 2023, and its students returned to it in January 2024.

The new school has an area of 5,500 square metres, it has 20 classrooms and is attended by 350 students.

Szijjarto said Hungary had no doubts as to whether to help Croatia and could not allow a natural disaster to take away the future of children.

Hungary therefore opted to rebuild schools and a church, giving around €154,000 for the primary school in Topolovac, around €1.93 million for a new church in Sisak, and close to €21.17 million for the school in Petrinja, the Hungarian minister said.

The new school will be a symbol of the friendship between Hungary and Croatia, Szijjarto said, adding that immediately after the 2020 earthquake Hungary also donated 50 container homes.