Knin Ahead of Operation Storm: Some See Opportunity, Others Wait for Water
As the town prepares for the central state celebration, residents' realities range from entrepreneurial optimism to waiting for basic infrastructure.
As the town prepares for the central state celebration, residents' realities range from entrepreneurial optimism to waiting for basic infrastructure.
Ahead of the central state celebration of Operation Storm, life in Knin is far from uniform. While the town prepares for the festivities, its residents are fighting their own battles and making decisions that shape their daily lives. Some, after years abroad, are choosing to return and start businesses; others see their future outside Knin; and some still lack running water, as reported by N1.
Franka Kopilaš does not see her professional future in her hometown. "For now, I plan to stay in Zagreb; I don't think I'll be coming back to Knin," she said. However, she also notes that the situation is not black and white. "My sister stayed here, she works, and she's doing great. Quite a few of my friends plan to come back; there are plenty of opportunities-you just have to seize them."
There are also those who have already made the decision to return and found their path in it. Kristijan, who lived in Ireland for several years, came back and opened a catering establishment. He admits the start wasn't easy. "It wasn't so much hard as it was risky. When I started the business, I had no support; the system was odd, but you're young. My decision to return wasn't difficult, because when you love something as much as I love hospitality and my town, nothing is hard," Kristijan said. He adds that people have recognized his efforts and that they now live "a peaceful and beautiful life."
Gracija Požar shares a similar story. After studying in Zagreb and working on costume design for various films and locations, she decided to return and start a family business with horses. "I studied in Zagreb and worked on costume design at various locations and films, but family life forces you to be in one place. We're into breeding, so some horses are for sale, and we also offer recreational and therapeutic riding," Požar explained.
Yet, just a few kilometers from the town center, reality is quite different. Residents of three larger suburban settlements have no built water supply system and rely on water tankers for drinking water. Marijan Zelenika, who lives in a four-member household, describes what it's like in practice. "Firefighters from the volunteer fire department bring us water. We order it through the utility company, and they deliver it in two or three days. In summer, when there are fires and high demand, you can wait quite a long time," he said. Due to the needs of his livestock, he also fetches water from the river himself.
Miran Mrduljaš, a member of the local volunteer fire department, confirms that this activity has been ongoing for ten years and is especially demanding in the summer months. "For the tenth year now, we've been providing drinking water transport for households not connected to the water supply. This activity usually goes unnoticed, but it's quite demanding, especially in the summer season when we also have a large number of fires," Mrduljaš said.
Mayor Marijo Čačić is aware of the problem and explains why the solution is delayed. "We have three larger suburban settlements without a built water supply network. These are sparsely populated settlements far from the city's water supply network, and building such a water system requires significant funds." He also cites economic viability as a key obstacle. "On the other hand, you can't prove the project's sustainability because there are few residents there. We're talking about large sums. Currently, we're working on and gathering project documentation, and we plan phased construction," Čačić explained.
