ZAGREB, November 12, 2018 - Agriculture Minister Tomislav Tolušić commented on Monday on media reports that this year Croatia absorbed 2.7 billion kuna less than planned from EU funds, saying the money available should be absorbed by 2023.

Speaking to reporters, he said that in the agriculture sector tenders had been advertised for 85% of the funds available, with 60% of the funds contracted and 30% paid.

"This year, 4 billion kuna of the 4.5 billion planned will be utilised in agriculture. I don't think that's a small amount... Although we have time until 2023, we'll try to contract and, hopefully, spend all the money by 2020. Then we'd be fully ready for the next financial period," Tolušić said.

He said fund absorption in his department depended to a great extent on farmers. "Sometimes we can't know exactly if they will implement projects this month or in three months. We are at their disposal because we have ensured favourable loans with 0.1% interest... If they can't finance their part, they can come to the Agriculture Ministry and we'll do our best to absorb all the funds by 2020."

Jutarnji List daily said today that this year the government would absorb 2.7 billion euro less than planned from European funds, citing figures from this year's revised budget and sources "from government circles."

Asked if funds for inspections would stay at this year's level, Tolušić said there must always be enough money for inspections. "I hope the findings will remain fair, even better than thus far, and controls stricter and more serious."

Interestingly, in the previous government Tolušić was minister for EU funds and regional development. The results were no better than now.

For more on Croatian agriculture, click here.

ZAGREB, October 25, 2018 - The Croatian Reconstruction and Development Bank's (HBOR) strategy focuses on EU funds, introduction of new market products and stimulation of exports, HBOR Management Board chair Tamara Perko said at an international conference on export stimulation organised in Dubrovnik on Thursday by HBOR.

ZAGREB, October 5, 2018 - The government intends to have contracts concluded on 60% of the funds in the EU envelope for Croatia by the end of this year, and the envisaged allocation for Croatia is 10.7 billion euro, Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Gabrijela Žalac said in Šibenik on Friday.

ZAGREB, September 26, 2018 - The City of Zagreb has absorbed about 150 million euro over the past four and a half years and the latest project to be financed with European funds is the roundabout in the suburb of Remetinec, Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić said on Tuesday.

ZAGREB, September 21, 2018 - "The fact that we have already contracted 7.9 billion kuna or 42% of about 19 billion kuna in the current European Union financial perspective, means that European finances will contribute to Slavonia's development," Prime Minister Andrej Plenković told reporters after the 6th meeting of the Council for Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem.

ZAGREB, September 18, 2018 - Croatia's Foreign and European Affairs Minister Marija Pejčinović Burić reiterated on Tuesday that increasing the national contribution in co-financing programmes was unacceptable and that it won't help a better absorption of European funds.

ZAGREB, September 17, 2018 - The Baby Beef association believes that the European Union's new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the 2021-2027 period could ruin Croatia's cattle breeding industry, and has called on the government and the Agriculture Ministry to take a firm negotiating position against the proposed cuts in grants.

ZAGREB, August 30, 2018 - Economy Minister Darko Horvat said on Thursday that an application procedure for the allocation of EU grants for small and medium entrepreneurs, during which 53 million kuna was allocated in just 35 seconds, would be annulled.

ZAGREB, August 28, 2018 - The European Travel Commission (ETC) has approved funding for Croatia's and Slovenia's tourist boards for a joint promotional campaign in China under the slogan "Experience Croatia, Feel Slovenia", valued at more than 200,000 euro, half of which will be provided by ETC, the Croatian Tourist Board (HTZ) said on Tuesday.

ZAGREB, August 22, 2018 - The Health Ministry has said it is intensively working on the absorption of EU funds for projects involving combined emergency wards, day hospitals and outpatient surgeries, that it has been very successful in contracting funding in 2016-18, and that it currently manages 1.5 billion kuna worth of projects contracted as part of the 2014-20 Operational Programme Competitiveness and Cohesion.