Additional Eight Less Developed Cities in the EU Funding Program

Pleternica, Imotski, Nova Gradiška, Slatina, Garešnica, Novska, Đakovo and Popovača are today included in the Integrated Physical, Economic and Social Regeneration Program for Small Towns, according to the decision of the Minister of Regional Development and European Union Funds, Gabrijela Žalac.

The Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds, together with the Ministry of Labor and Pension System, is implementing the aforementioned Program within the framework of the Operational Program Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020, and the Operational Program Efficient Human Resources 2014-2020. This is a pilot program currently being implemented in five small deprived towns with populations between 10,000 and 35,000 (Knin, Vukovar, Benkovac, Petrinja and Beli Manastir with the municipality of Darda).

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Within the Integrated Regeneration Program, the implementation of infrastructure projects from various areas (environment, mobility, tourism, culture, agriculture, entrepreneurship, etc.) is possible, funded by the European Regional Development Fund, as well as ‘soft’ projects aimed at strengthening human resources funded by the European Social Fund. The total allocation for the implementation of projects in the five small towns amounts to 120 million euros.

“We have initiated preparatory activities for the expansion of the Integrated Regeneration Program because small towns have been recognized as generators of development, especially in areas affected by extremely unfavorable demographic and economic trends,” emphasized Minister Žalac, adding that the goal in the upcoming period is to provide even stronger support for the implementation of projects in these towns by creating special programs primarily funded by European Union funds.

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The Mayor of Pleternica, Antonija Jozić, expressed gratitude on behalf of all mayors and emphasized that these towns face numerous challenges and that they see the Integrated Regeneration Program as an opportunity to secure the necessary infrastructure for overall development.

In accordance with the established criteria and the level of deprivation measured by the Multiple Deprivation Index (IVD), the Ministry has singled out the aforementioned eight small towns for preparatory activities for the program’s expansion. Based on the developed methodology and the experiences learned so far, the Ministry will assist the towns in preparatory activities for the program’s expansion, including contracting technical assistance where necessary.

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In addition, the partnership and participatory approach on which the preparation and implementation of the Integrated Regeneration Program is based implies the inclusion of local, as well as regional stakeholders, so a significant contribution from regional coordinators is also expected in these preparatory activities.