Only half the property owners of the 694 structures included in the program after the 2004 earthquake have opted for reconstruction assistance, while 70 buildings are currently in the preliminary phases of reconstruction. The Bovec Municipality is urging residents who have not yet opted for reconstruction or demolition to take advantage of their last chance to do so. The entire reconstruction effort, which will come to an administrative end in 2019, is expected to cost some 70 million euros.

The National Technical Office (DTP), which the state founded after the Easter Earthquake of 1998, cautions that the entire process – from projections to the end of reconstruction – lasts two years on average. Therefore, property owners should notify the Bovec Municipality no later than the end of the year, says Mayor Valter Mlekuž. "This is the Last Chance Express. It's in our interest that the valley has a tidy appearance and that the buildings are safe. We will jointly find a solution; we'll see whether a building should be demolished or if reconstruction is possible. I regret that the local community has no authority over the owners of structures that pose a risk to others. Until the owner signs an agreement, the building inspector, the municipality, and the Civil Defense are all powerless. All we can do is issue a recommendation. Unfortunately, several of the building were bought up by foreigners," says Mlekuž.

Earthquake reconstruction
Currently, 20 buildings are being repaired or built, while 65 are in the early stages of reconstruction – in the planning stage or in the financial approval phase. The program for the following year is being coordinated. The Environment Ministry will consider it in December; it will then go to the cabinet for approval.

So far, more than half of the property owners have opted for reconstruction. There are several reasons why some have decided not to participate, explains DTP head Uroš Kodelja: "With buildings that have multiple owners, the legal relations between the owners are often complicated. The smaller amount of state assistance is also a frequent reason; this is typical for barns, where the highest share of state assistance is 30 percent. In the case of buildings with limited damage, owners are not interested in reconstruction because they feel that the structures are safe."