County Head Anušić: EU funds are ‘free money’ and it is our obligation to participate in them

As part of the call from the Ministry of Construction and Spatial Planning “Energy renovation of buildings and the use of renewable energy sources in public institutions engaged in education and training activities”, Osijek-Baranja County has submitted 19 projects for primary and secondary schools, worth 62 million kuna, it was highlighted on Friday during their presentation in Osijek.

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The value of the projects is 62 million kuna, of which 60 percent of the funds have been non-repayably secured from the European Regional Development Fund, said Nataša Tramišak, head of the County Administrative Department for Investments, Development Projects, and EU Funds.

According to her, the remainder, nearly 18 million kuna, is co-financed by the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, while about nine million kuna will be secured from the county budget.

“When it comes to these 19 schools, the projected savings that will be achieved through energy renovation amount to 68.3 percent,” said Zdravko Vukić, assistant minister of the Ministry of Construction and Spatial Planning. He added that in this county, energy renovation has so far been contracted for 45 multi-apartment buildings worth 62 million kuna, of which 36 million kuna is non-repayable.

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“This is part of what we are implementing through a project under which 2.36 billion kuna is available for building renovation until the end of 2020,” Vukić said. Dragan Jelić, assistant minister of regional development and EU funds, emphasized that this county is one of the most successful in Croatia in drawing money from EU funds, given that 2.5 billion kuna has so far arrived in this county from them.

County Head Ivan Anušić expressed satisfaction with the utilization of the potential of this county.

“EU funds are, I would say, ‘free money’ and it is our obligation to participate in them. This is a message to all municipalities and cities in the county that they must primarily utilize EU funds, and then we will reach a situation where the county and ministries will help. I expect that all 19 schools will be completely energy renovated by autumn,” Anušić said.