The ancient Croatian town of Vodnjan is located on the Istrian peninsula.
Once home to 10,000 people, there are now fewer than 6,000. The outflow of population has been observed since the end of World War II. And even when Croatia became independent in 1991, people continued to leave.
Today, the streets of Vodnjan are quiet, and residential buildings are empty. As the local economy suffers, the administration has decided to do something to attract new residents and businesses.
Following the example of other European cities, they have decided to sell off abandoned or dilapidated properties at a low price.
Moreover, buyers can defer payment for two years if they commit to renovating the buildings. At the end, the renovation costs will be deducted from the original price. The offer currently covers 14 buildings. At least 140 applications have already been received. The aim of the scheme is to attract buyers and help stop the population decline. However, the administration is not only offering inexpensive properties. It is noteworthy that before the Second World War, Vodnjan was part of Italy and was populated mainly by ethnic Italians. But after the war, the city, which in Italian was called Dignano, ended up in Yugoslavia.
