Here, time seems to stand still, as if everything lasts longer. Since my elders can remember, people leave, yet remain. Be defiant, Slavonia, let your beauty hurt. There is no one who does not know you, who does not know you and does not love you − these are the lyrics of the song by Kića Slabinac that describe much. It may be worn out to mention the line ‘Be defiant, Slavonia’, but I could not avoid it, especially because in the five eastern counties – Virovitica-Podravina, Osijek-Baranja, Požega-Slavonia, Brod-Posavina, and Vukovar-Srijem – enormous potentials are hidden. Agricultural, tourist, entrepreneurial, manufacturing, export, but also life.
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In a special publication ‘Leader Invest – East’, we dissected all five counties. From the vast amount of statistical data, we selected those that show the current state in each of them. Talking to many entrepreneurs, representatives of the counties, and mayors, one gets the impression that things are indeed moving from a standstill. Perhaps this is not visible in public, especially since, unfortunately, we read texts almost every day about young families leaving Slavonia for some of the Western European countries.
We write about past investments, but also those that are yet to come. Regional and local government units, as well as regional agencies and incubators, are active, along with our development bank. It is also very interesting that the Croatian Postal Bank (HPB), as stated at the Investment Forum of Slavonia and Baranja held in Vinkovci, has further lowered interest rates, even below two percent, which opens the way for many entrepreneurs towards greater investment.
