Vjesnik fire suspects in investigative custody; City to reroute traffic around site

The two eighteen-year-olds suspected of starting the fire that gutted Zagreb’s Vjesnik building have been placed in one-month investigative custody. 

They are charged with endangering human life and property, an offense punishable by up to ten years in prison. Their attorneys plan to appeal.

“Both suspects have been remanded to investigative custody. We are going to appeal and believe the appeals court could accept our arguments,” said Luka Kipa, attorney for the first suspect.

Attorney Petar Bribir, who represents the second suspect, said both young men are high-school seniors and hopes to have his client transferred to a juvenile facility.

“The court did not accept their age as a factor. They are both 18, high-school seniors, athletes, from good families. Unfortunately, the pressure from the media was too strong,” Bribir said.

Meanwhile, uncertainty about the structural stability of the Vjesnik building has prompted the city to reroute traffic around the site. Safety concerns after the fire led officials to close one of the country’s busiest intersections — Slavonska Avenue and Savska Street — causing major traffic jams across the capital this week. Slavonska Avenue is one of Zagreb’s key east–west corridors.

The city plans to widen the roadway to create two eastbound lanes and eliminate left turns onto Savska Street, improving traffic flow along Slavonska Avenue.

“We are narrowing a pedestrian island and adding space for traffic lanes. We’ll also reprogram the traffic lights. No left turns will be possible. We’re extending green time for east–west traffic while ensuring we don’t impede north–south car and tram movement along Savska Street,” said Marko Velzek, the city’s deputy chief for Local Government, Traffic, Civil Protection, and Security.

Work on the intersection is expected to take up to ten days. The changes are temporary.