January the 2nd, 2022 - Earthquake-stricken Sisak-Moslavina County in Central Croatia has been suffering ever since the end of December 2020, when the devastating natural disaster with its epicentre frighteningly close to Petrinja struck. Intense support for the local economy is apparently heading their way, finally.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Suzana Varosanec writes, the programme of social and economic revitalisation of the assisted areas of Sisak-Moslavina County affected by the 2020 earthquake in the amount of 15.3 billion kuna, for which the Government received a broad consensus, has just been adopted by the Government and is starting to be implemented immediately.

The Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds is obliged to adopt the Annual Implementation Plan of the Programme, which contains fifteen measures and approximatelty fifty activities, all of which are on the horizon until the year 2029.

Another primary and important ''trigger'' for economic development in the sadly overlooked Sisak-Moslavina County took place yesterday, on the 1st of January, 2022, through new regional aid maps for business owners, and in consultation with the European Commission, the highest intensity of regional aid in Croatia and the EU as a whole will apply; 60 percent for large enterprises, 70 percent for medium-sized enterprises and 75 percent for small ones.

According to Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, the main project of the aforementioned Programme will be the completion of the highway between the City of Zagreb and Sisak, due to the integration process of the very heart of this county into the strongest economic centre, Zagreb, which is considered an incentive for young people to stay here, as well as for investment and further economic development.

The leading role in the development of the Programme was played by the departments of regional development and economy, the working group with 55 participants included all the leaders of local self-government units, all of whom were busy thinking up ways to further encourage the development of basic factors of this county's overall level of competitiveness.

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ZAGREB, 7 Nov 2021 - In 2020, enterprises in the Osijek, Rijeka, Split, and Zagreb urban agglomerations netted HRK 16.2 billion in profits, or 77% of the profits of all enterprises in Croatia, according to an analysis by the Financial Agency.

The agglomerations were established in 2015 and 2016 under a decision of the Regional Development and EU Funds Ministry.

In 2020, the biggest consolidated net profit was generated by enterprises in the Zagreb urban agglomeration (HRK 14.3 billion), followed by Osijek (HRK 804.1 million), Split (HRK 631.6m), and Rijeka (HRK 399.8m).

Of the 139,009 enterprises which submitted annual financial statements for last year, 79,229 were based in the four urban agglomerations, up 1.8% in 2019. Most were in Zagreb (55,282) and least in Osijek (4,476)

Of the 947,874 persons employed in enterprises in 2020, 566,310 were employed in the four agglomerations, the most in Zagreb, 430,965, or 7.8 employees per enterprise on average, and the least in Osijek, 30,930, or 6,9 employees per enterprise on average.

Last year, enterprises in the four agglomerations made HRK 512.3 billion in total revenue, down 5.5% in 2019, and accounted for 68.9% of the total revenue of all enterprises in Croatia (HRK 743.8 bn).

Their profit totaled HRK 32.5 billion, down 4.4% in 2019, while total losses went up by 45.4% to HRK 16.3 billion.

In 2020, the highest average net monthly salary in enterprises in the four urban agglomerations was in Zagreb, HRK 6,796, 5.2% more than the average in all four and 13.8% more than the average in all enterprises in Croatia, which was HRK 5,971.

The lowest net monthly salary was registered in the Osijek urban agglomeration (HRK 5,155).

(€1 = HRK 7.5)

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September 24, 2021 - The Energy And Climate Change Program published three public calls for green energy projects. The deadline for new ideas is November 24.

Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar (EIHP) is already enrolled in the DANUP-2-Gas Project (concerned with introducing renewable energy to the Danube region) and the REPLACE Project (for replacing current heating and cooling systems in Primorska Goranska county with eco-friendly variants). But, this doesn't mean that it isn't keeping an eye for new initiatives and endeavors in the energy-efficient sector.

In part of the „Energy and Climate Change“ (ECC) Program, the EIHP informs that the first three calls for delivering project proposals were published on September 14, and the admissions are open until November 24.

„Acceptable applicants are all legal subjects, whether public or private, commercial or non-commercial organizations as well as non-governmental organizations, founded in Croatia. Additionally, project partners, apart from Croatian, can also include legal persons founded in donator countries (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein)“, says the EIHP website.

EIHP also elaborated all three calls for those who are interested in participating.

The first one, titled „Increased Solar Energy Production Capacity“, is worth 7,400,000.00 EUR and supports pilot projects of integrated photovoltaic powerplants with the goal of boosting exploitation of solar energy.

The second call worth 1.534.000,00 EUR is called „Energy Production From the Sea“ and looks for pilot projects and pre-investment studies for implementing a system of sea source heat pumps for heating and cooling.

Finally, the third call named „Technical Documentation For Geothermal Energy“ worth 3,000,000.00 EUR asks for making technical documentation needed to develop projects of geothermal energy.

„The main goal of the Programme “Energy and Climate Change” (ECC) is to increase the usage of technologies with lower carbon emissions and enlarged security of energy supply in the Republic of Croatia, which is aligned to the key objectives of the European Economic Area (EEA) Financial Mechanism. The Programme is particularly focused on energy efficiency measures and the promotion of renewable energy sources, including geothermal, marine and solar energy sources“, explains the eeagrants website.

EIHP adds that the projects that will be accepted in these public calls are co-financed by the EAA financial mechanism for the 2014-2021 period by 85%.

Or as the eeagrants website clarifies, EEA gave 17 million EUR for the ECC program while Croatia (in the domain of Croatian Regional Development Ministry) covers the rest with 3 million EUR.

The project proposals are awaited in hopes Croatia will continue its green energy revolution. Remembering the previous article from TCN about the Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar being the first nearly zero energy building in Croatia, it's clear the country is on a good way so far.

Learn more about Croatian inventions and discoveries from Tesla to Rimac on our dedicated TC page.

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ZAGREB, 17 Sept 2021 - Minister for Regional Development and EU Funds Nataša Tramišak on Friday presented local government officials in the eastern city of Osijek and Osijek-Baranja County with contracts for co-funding EU projects worth HRK 48 million.

The contracts concern, among other things, the modernisation of tram infrastructure, the construction of an IT park and the energy efficiency renovation of schools in Osijek, the construction of a sports park in Beli Manastir, and the construction and equipping of kindergartens in several municipalities.

Tramišak said that this money came from the state budget and would cover the portion of funding for the projects the local government units would otherwise have to contribute themselves. She said that this would help them implement the projects that should be completed by the end of 2023.

Tramišak said that 640 projects worth about HRK 20 billion had been submitted to the Fund for co-financing projects at local and regional level.

"The Ministry's aim is to successfully conclude the financial perspective until 2020, and we have until 2023 to draw funds from it. In that way we will help local and regional government units and ensure full absorption of funding for this period," Tramišak said.

Osijek Mayor Ivan Radić said that the projects in his city are worth HRK 1.2 billion and that it would be very difficult for the city to finance them on its own. He announced projects exceeding HRK 2 billion for the next EU financial period 2021-2027, saying that they expected assistance from the ministry in their implementation.

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ZAGREB, 20 Aug, 2021 - EU Funds and Regional Development Minister Nataša Tramišak said on Friday in Split that HRK 7.8 billion would be earmarked for development projects on Croatian islands until 2027.

The national plan for the development of islands will provide a scope for investments, and we have assessed that 7.8 billion kuna will be necessary for the implementation of measures envisaged by the plan. However, that amount is not definite and other ministries are expected to make contributions to additional investments in compliance with the money made available in EU funds until 2027, Minister Tramišak told the press.

Tramišak held the news conference after she awarded seven contracts, worth HRK 22 million in total, on regulating the state's co-funding of the EU-funded projects.

The total value of those seven projects which will be implemented in Split-Dalmatia County stands at 223 million kuna, and 140 million will be covered by EU funding.

After Split, Tramišak travelled to Hvar for a ceremony of awarding HRK 4 million worth of contracts on that island.

The registry of islands and the national island development plan will be presented at that ceremony.

More than six billion kuna was invested from national funds into different activities and projects for the islands in the 2016-2020 period.

Croatia has 1,244 islands, and 45 islands are permanently or temporarily inhabited, with 51 maritime routes, 58 community health centres, 102 primary and 13 high schools, and 23 care homes.

(€ 1 = HRK 7.482172)

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June 21, 2021 - An exciting new step for Croatian energy efficiency is happening at the Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar (EIHP), as the Institute makes significant changes to its building which will also help to educate other experts for energy efficiency.

As the Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar (EIHP) gave great support and input in REPLACE Project that brings energy efficiency to Rijeka and Kvarner region, just put a new log in Croatian energetic efficiency. The start of June saw the contract for granting non-returnable funds for founding nZEB- the National Training Center on Nearly Zero Energy Buildings, EIHP reported on its website. The project is financed from the „Energy and Climate Change“ Fund, part of the Financial Mechanisms 2014 – 2021 in Croatia, courtesy of the European Economic Area (EEA).

1,600,000 Euros is the total value of this project on which EIHP collaborates with the Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb. The goal is to empower all the actors in reconstructing buildings to meet the nZEB standard.

With the center being established in the building of the Požar Institute undergoing reconstruction at the moment, it will be a vivid example of the modern technologies that are implemented in nZEB design.

„We will show and share with the widest professional community the solutions that will be developed through this project. The whole process of reconstruction will be followed and documented, and detailed, and serve as an example in the training program as the Institute becomes the first public building in Croatia reconstructed in such a manner. With the appliance of green energy technologies (electrification of heating and cooling systems with a crane that uses shallow geothermal source, integrated photo charged electric plant on the roof, energy containers, efficient lighting), we also wish to include E-mobility, which is certainly the future of traffic as well as accomplish complete digitalization of all technical systems the building is using. That way, the building will be the showcase example of the double transition – green and digital“; said the EIHP headmaster, Dražen Jakšić.

Jakšić attended the signing of the contract, along with the regional development Minister Nataša Tramišak, Norwegian Ambassador Haakon Blankenburg (as Norway also supports the Financial Mechanisms 2014 – 2021), Ministry secretary of economy and sustainable growth dr. Mario šiljeg, and the Faculty of Civil Engineering dean dr. Stjepan Lakušić.

„After this pandemic, we will not develop by repeating the things from before. A historical change is afoot, and we will meet it with green development and with new 'Green Deal'“, concluded Jakšić while Minister Tramišak also pointed out that securing financial mechanisms for advanced technologies and energy renewal.

Learn more about Croatian inventions & discoveries: from Tesla to Rimac on our TC page.

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ZAGREB, 4 March, 2021 - Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Nataša Tramišak met with Petrinja Mayor Darinko Dumbović on Thursday to discuss an intervention plan for the reconstruction of the city after a devastating earthquake in December, after which a group of disgruntled people verbally attacked the mayor.

The intervention plan is aimed at the social and economic regeneration of small towns, it was said.

The minister said Petrinja had been implementing HRK 140 million worth of EU-funded projects until 2020 and that several more remained to be contracted.

She said the goal was to utilise the funds available until the end of 2023 in the Petrinja area and invest in infrastructure and ongoing projects.

Tramišak said €111 million had been ensured for building new state-owned flats in Petrinja, Sisak, Glina and other towns affected by the earthquake.

If standardised buildings and houses will be built, construction could begin soon, she added.

Mayor Dumbović said he was satisfied with the solutions proposed and that the Culture Ministry had promised that Petrinja would look as it did before the earthquake. 

Mayor verbally attacked by protesters

Several dozen protesters rallied outside the venue of the meeting, complaining about the lack of transparency in decisions concerning the right to reconstruction aid and about the distribution of humanitarian aid.

The demonstrators blocked the exit of the fire station where the meeting was taking place, preventing the mayor's car from leaving the venue and announcing new protests.

Dumbović told the RTL commercial television channel in the evening that the incident was politically motivated. Asked who was behind the demonstration, he named Luca Gašpar Šako, the local coordinator of the opposition Bridge party.

"They are not aware of the damage individuals are doing to Petrinja. Petrinja did not deserve this. It turns out that we are lawless cowboys wanting to achieve something by force," the mayor said. 

ZAGREB, October 19, 2020 - Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Natasa Tramisak on Monday presented six grant agreements for Istria County, and they were awarded to the City of  Vodnjan, the Municipality of Barban, Juraj Dobrila University and Istrian Development Agency.

Recalling that these were grants for the tenders for projects valued at HRK 75.16 million of which HRK 55.7 million is in grants under the Interated Territorial Investment (ITI) schemes, Minister Tramisak said that the agreements on the most part related to economic development in the broader area of Pula and surrounding local communities.

"The agreements are supposed to help boost the development of entrepreneurship, institutions in business zones and revitalise cultural heritage or investments in brownfield locations," the minister said.

"We expect exceptional results from these six valuable projects related to the further development and promotion of entrepreneurship and strengthening the business climate," she underlined.

She in particular pointed out the agreement with the University of Pula and its further development of teaching and research activities. The Juraj Dobrila University will manage a project to repurpose a former navy hospital into a new academic centre in the city and the first phase of that project alone is worth HRK 20.7 million.

(€1 = HRK 7.57376)

Concrete steps are being made to better acquaint Croatia's students with the importance of knowledge about EU projects, knowledge which will be advantageous on the labour market.

As Lucija Spiljak/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 27th of January, 2019, representatives of the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds and the Faculty of Economics of the University of Zagreb signed a cooperation agreement worth three million kuna, which will enable students to acquire skills and knowledge in the field of EU funds for professional practice.

This is a project that has been being discussed in the aforementioned ministry for a long time, and now partnerships through signing this contract have been formalised by the dean of this higher education institution, Jurica Pavičić, and Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds, Gabrijela Žalac. Another partner of the project is the Department of Economics of the University of Zadar, whose representatives will subsequently sign the same contract.

"It's a great pleasure for our students to have the opportunity to improve themselves in something that is important for them, their careers, and to their future employers. Students have recognised the importance of knowledge about EU funds and have shown great interest in this area, aware that this will be an important component when they go out to look for a job. We're glad that we've partnered with the Ministry and that the University of Zadar is ready to join in with this project,'' said the Dean.

The cooperation agreement also concerns the strengthening of the Regional Development Academy, which has been in existence for many years within the ministry and cooperates with the University of Zagreb and faculties at the project level, in the interest of enhancing cooperation on the issue of student education, which is the backbone of regional development and the management of EU structural and investment funds.

"We want to strengthen our capacities at all levels so that through the professional knowledge and mentoring of our people in the Ministry of Economics, students from Zagreb and Zadar are able to train for the labour market. Our students have a decisive role in the dynamics of fundraising and the socio-economic progress of the coming period. The aim is to build a strategic partnership with healthcare institutions in the Republic of Croatia. We've been a full member of the EU for five and a half years and I think it's now time to allow students to acquire knowledge and skills in the area of ​​EU funds management and their use,'' said the minister, adding that European structural and investment funds make up 80 percent of public investments in the Republic of Croatia.

"Since we're the youngest member state of the EU, we're still at the beginning. This seven-year financial period, when we'll use European funds for the very first time, will certainly be a great experience for what follows in 2021,'' said Žalac, mentioning that MRRFEU and the Central Finance and Contracting Agency for EU Programs and Projects conducted research with results which show that there are 2700 experts missing in Croatia for the field of implementing EU projects.

"Therefore, we'd like to enable our students of economic orientation to provide professional practice with the help of EU funds, to provide new useful facilities for building a business career, with additional values ​​that strengthen their competence on the labour market," added Minister Žalac before thanking everyone who participated in the implementation process of this project.

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Click here for the original article by Lucija Spiljak for Poslovni Dnevnik

Minister Gabrijela Žalac and Commissioner Corina Creţa held a dialogue with citizens.