Symbolic, cutting the tape, Minister of Culture and Media dr. sc. Nina Obuljen Koržinek and Mirela Mrak Kliman, director of the State Archives in Pazin, opened a new building of the archive repository in Bertoš. Deputy Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Minister Obuljen Koržinek said that this is a historic project for the archival community that has enabled the State Archives in Pazin to expand their storage capacities for a long time. She recalled the adoption of the full Law on Archival Materials and Archives and the National Plan for the Development of Archival Activities.
Reconstruction and upgrading of the repository
– In view of the transformation of the approach to archiving and archiving, following this strategic step forward that we will implement within the Government, the problems of archiving and archiving space in Croatia will in fact be permanently resolved, the Minister said.
She reminded of several national investments in archives throughout Croatia, in particular the complete reconstruction of the Collection Archives Centre in Petrinja, the State Archives in Sisak with the funds of the NRRP and the EU Solidarity Fund, and other ongoing projects to expand the capacities of the regional state archives in Zagreb, Bjelovar, Gospić, Osijek, Pozega, Šibenik, Virovitica and Varaždin, which are being implemented through the NRRP investment Improving digital infrastructure and public sector services by developing the national archival information system and strengthening the national archives network. She also emphasized the importance of the archives in Pazin, which, in addition to all obligations and other tasks, preserves the immensely rich cultural heritage, material important for Istria, for Croatia, extremely valuable documents that have been continuously presented, researched and that attract researchers and scientists not only from the area of Istria, but also beyond.
The archival material of the entire Istrian County has been kept since 1958 in the City of Pazin, today the administrative center of the Istrian County. Pazin gained great institutional importance when the State Archives were located in Pazin, said the Mayor of Pazin Suzana Jašić, adding that the purpose of archives and archival material is undetectable in the culture and history of a people, a region. The Deputy Prefect Tulio Demetlika also addressed numerous guests at the opening ceremony.
The director of the archive Mrak Kliman reminded that due to the lack of storage space, the State Archives in Pazin had not taken over archival material from the field since the end of the 70s of the last century. On the basis of the decision of the then Central State Office for the Administration of State Property, in 2008 the Ministry of Culture allocated the former military warehouse ‘Bertoši’ near Pazin and the associated land for use by the State Archives in Pazin.
Thanks to the efforts of the line ministry, grants were provided for the reconstruction and upgrading of the storage space through the implementation of the investment/reform “Improving the digital infrastructure and public sector services by developing the national archive information system and strengthening the national archives network” under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Words fly, written remains
Following public procurement procedures, a contract was concluded in April 2023 with the company De Conte from Labin. The contractor completed the execution of the designed and contracted works within the agreed deadline, in September last year. Last year, a public procurement procedure was also conducted and a contract was concluded with the company Primat logistika for archival equipment and mobile racks in which up to 9,500 mandatory meters of archival material can be stored in the next period, while a smaller part of the facility is provided for the restoration and conservation and processing of archival material. The value of the project is 3.57 million euros.
By handing over the facility, the State Archives in Pazin will by the end of this year move the archival material from Kaštela and start taking over the archival material of public creators from the area of the Istrian County, which will ultimately enable greater availability of material and faster provision of services and ensure responsible and transparent business operations.
– At this point, I must stress that this is undoubtedly the most important infrastructure project of the Pazin Archives and a historical moment for the archival service and activity of the Istrian area, as well as the crown of the past work of the archives and its current and former employees, said Mrak Kliman. She concluded her emotional presentation with the words that were expressed during the laying of the foundation stone: Verba volant, scripta manent. Words fly, it remains written.
The reconstruction and upgrade of the military warehouse included the reconstruction of the existing building in which, along with the archival storage, a workshop for the conservation and restoration of paper material was arranged, and an upgraded northern building that will serve fully for the reception and permanent preservation of archival material. Of the designed 1,600 square meters of net usable area, almost 1,200 square meters are decorated with archival storages with movable racks.
The State Archives in Pazin will now have an impressive storage space and can begin to take over the archives of public creators from the area of Istria County, primarily judicial bodies that are the priority area of intervention of this investment.
The new building of the archive repository of the State Archives was blessed by the Vicar General of Poreč and the Diocese of Pula, Reverend Rikard Lekaj.
The execution of works for the purposes of the archive repository is an integral part of one of the five activities included in the investment “Improving the digital infrastructure and public sector services by developing the national archive information system and strengthening the national archives network” under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which is fully financed by the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The project, with a total value of around EUR 35 million, is implemented by the Ministry of Culture and Media in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and Administration, the Croatian State Archives, regional state archives and judicial authorities.
Taken from: https://www.glasistre.hr/istra/2025/04/04/-992927 (7.4.2025.)
