Due to ‘Lex Perković’, Croatia Will Not Be Deprived of EU Funds

The Minister of Entrepreneurship and Crafts, Gordan Maras, presented the results of the Investment and Investment Environment Improvement Act, which has brought in 152 applications in 11 months.

The ministry is particularly pleased with the fact that in 11 months they attracted nearly the same number of applications as the previous law did in five years. These applications will open around 4,000 jobs, and the planned investments are worth over four billion kuna.

– We have three levers to encourage entrepreneurs. These are direct incentives from the budget, financing of investments, and support for direct investments. We achieved an identical result in 11 months as the former government did in five years. We are the most competitive with it in the region, and this is proof that the law has yielded quality results – said Minister Gordan Maras.

The plan is for the investments to be realized by the middle of next year. Of the applications received, 79 are being processed, 61 are awaiting supplementation, and by the end of the year, another 50 applications are expected. When looking by counties, the most applications came from Varaždin and Split-Dalmatia counties, while not a single application came from Šibenik-Knin County. The minister also commented on the announcements of cutting parafiscal levies that have appeared in some media.

– This is in a way an investment in entrepreneurs because we predict that we will save them one billion kuna. As for my ministry, I must say that there will be a reform of the chamber levy with the new Crafts Act, and in the foreseeable future, mandatory payment will certainly be abolished and will transition to voluntary. I say this from experience, and this could happen within a period of about five years – emphasized Maras.

He also commented on the current topic of ‘Lex Perković’, and he is convinced that Croatia will not be deprived of EU funds due to this case.

– We already have procedures that must go through accreditation with the European Commission so that our entrepreneurs and craftsmen can access EU funds. In the next period, over one billion euros will be allocated for them, and it is up to them to secure funding through quality projects – Maras conveyed to them.