Marija Kušmiš, mayor of Novska: New opportunities for entrepreneurship development are opening up

After being part of the core team managing the City of Novska for the past six years, Marija Kušmiš became the head of this small western Slavonian city last year. Following the appointment of the then mayor Marin Piletić as a minister in the Croatian government, she was elected mayor of Novska in the extraordinary local elections in June 2022. She gained the trust of her fellow citizens with the program ‘Bravely for Novska’, which she and her team immediately continued to work on.

What projects have you taken on and what is their current phase?

– Novska is a large construction site. In the spring of 2020, major infrastructure projects were launched, the Novska Agglomeration and the reconstruction of the Knopp Hotel. The works are in the final phase. A usage permit has been obtained for the reconstruction of the water supply and the construction of the drainage network, and work has begun on the construction of a wastewater treatment plant, which will last throughout this year. The reconstruction of the Knopp Hotel should also be completed this autumn, followed by equipping and putting it into operation. I believe it will again be a favorite gathering place for Novska residents, but now in a new shine and with new contents such as the interpretive center ‘History of the Military Border’ and a souvenir shop.

Additionally, the works have been completed and a new Day Center for the elderly has been opened in Novska, the construction of a mortuary in Brestača has been completed, and the reconstruction of the mortuary in Stari Grabovac has begun. Project documentation has been prepared for the Home for the Elderly and the Accelerator for Rural Tourism (a camp-rest area with an adrenaline park and the arrangement of the hiking trail Zmajevac), which we have applied for competitions funded by the NPOO, and we expect results soon. We have secured funds for the preparation of project documentation for the modernization of public lighting and the construction of a new kindergarten.

We have invested in communal infrastructure and roads. A few weeks ago, the construction of a new residential building with 20 apartments by the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction, and State Property for housing needs began. In the coming days, the construction of a sidewalk through the Bročice settlement, nearly three kilometers long, will also begin, and we hope to start another infrastructure project this autumn – the construction of the Lifelong Learning Center.

Recently, Novska has become recognizable for the development of the gaming industry, which has attracted new residents to the city and increased demand for apartments, and you say a new, third kindergarten is also planned. How do you comment on this new momentum that the city has gained thanks to the gaming industry?

– Since 2018, with the construction of an entrepreneurial incubator specialized for the gaming industry, Novska has become the center of this industry in Croatia. This project has reversed migration trends, with young people from all over Croatia coming to Novska for education due to gaming. With the support of the HZZ, the City, and the County, they have started their own crafts and companies using self-employment measures, and some have decided to create their home here. A few have already purchased real estate. They have stimulated the development of the real estate market, and local entrepreneurs have started investing in the construction of residential and commercial buildings as rental apartments have run out. Property prices have increased by almost 50 percent in a very short time.

With the launch of a new high school program for Game Development Technicians, we opened a student dormitory, which today houses 50 young people from all over Croatia. The final phase of designing the gaming industry center (campus) and obtaining building permits is also underway. In the incubator, 70 gaming companies operate, employing about 120 young people. Today, more than 50 percent of Croatian gaming companies operate in Novska, and some can already boast successful operations and the opening of new jobs. The letter is certainly a project that has initiated the development of Novska in several areas, but I believe the real effect will only be achieved with the construction of the Gaming Industry Center.

Regarding the construction of the new kindergarten, this is also a result of lifestyle changes and the increase in the number of employed people in recent years. By providing kindergarten accommodation, we facilitate young families’ stay in Novska and enable easier employment.

Novska is also recording a decrease in unemployment, an increase in employment, and a growing number of crafts and established companies. What opportunities and possibilities for opening a business entity does Novska offer to potential entrepreneurs?

– Novska is widely known for its strong wood industry, which still underpins the economy and employs the largest number of Novska residents. However, the textile and metal industries have been present for years, and the construction sector is also represented. Since 2018, we have been the only city in Croatia that has built on the HZZ’s self-employment measure and secured additional funds for opening new crafts and companies. To date, 150 crafts have been opened, creating around 200 new jobs. Our Development Agency Nora and the county Simora are available to entrepreneurs.

Additionally, the city provides additional funds for development and strengthening competitiveness through the Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Program. The implementation of projects funded by EU funds, especially from the European Social Fund, has also contributed to the opening of new jobs and strengthening the labor market through additional education and retraining. At the same time, investments are being made in social, cultural, social, and communal infrastructure, contributing to raising standards and improving living conditions.

All of the above has influenced the increase in the number of employed people by 16 percent in the last five years and a 50 percent decrease in unemployment. The number of insured persons compared to the number of pensioners is above one, which is another indicator of the success of everything we have done in recent years, especially the successful work of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.

The Novska Entrepreneurial Zone West filled its capacities a year ago. What companies operate in it, and what opportunities do potential investors have in Novska?

– The Entrepreneurial Zone West, although smaller in area, is home to four larger companies. Two companies have been operating there for a longer time and are engaged in the production of finished wood products (thermal wood processing), while another is in textile production. Among the latest, land was purchased by a company from Novska that has been operating in our city for a longer time but decided to expand its services and products and initiated an investment in the construction of a concrete plant, which is now successfully operating. The last investor on the list of these companies is an entrepreneur from the neighboring municipality who decided to expand his long-standing business, choosing our zone as a suitable place for producing sheet metal products intended for larger investments in residential construction, industry, etc. The companies operating in the Zone are: Evolen, Hakadesch, Big Boys Construction, and Baranček.

Work is also underway on new communal infrastructure in the Novska Entrepreneurial Zone, which will also be home to the gaming industry campus. What companies operate in it, and when can we expect the start of campus construction?

– The Novska Entrepreneurial Zone, the largest and strategically important for Novska, has so far filled almost 60 percent of its capacities. Some companies are already operating, but a larger part is in a high phase of preparing project documentation. The tenants of the Novska Entrepreneurial Zone are: Vodovod Novska, the Center for Vehicles of Croatia, Phyox, Venka Construction, the City of Novska Entrepreneurial Incubator, Palir, Vodoprivreda Novska, Žuti grejp, Helena Sablić – Thesa Design, WAWA, Biogas Plant, Swat Energy, the City of Novska (agreement with HEP for the construction of a solar power plant), and the Gaming Industry Center, whose construction we expect to begin next year.

In addition to all of the above, you consider the next period to be the most important for the development of entrepreneurship in Novska. Why?

– Novska is only one hundred kilometers from Zagreb, and the Novska Entrepreneurial Zone is bordered on one side by the A3 highway, on the other by a railway line, and is 15 kilometers away from the Jasenovac border crossing (BiH). We have entered a new financial perspective where new opportunities for entrepreneurship development are opening up. For the area of the City of Novska, higher co-financing ratios for entrepreneurial investments have been secured through the new regional aid map, which is an additional incentive for starting businesses right in our area. Additionally, through incentive measures, we have enabled favorable land purchases in the Entrepreneurial Zone, exempted the payment of communal fees for the first two years, and communal contributions.

Given the numerous changes in the city in recent years, where do you see Novska in the next period?

– We continue to work at the same pace. Novska is a small city, but with many opportunities. We want to make it a city tailored to each of our citizens, but also a city desirable for all those who want to create their home in the gentle Slavonian region, in a peaceful and safe environment.

Content created in collaboration with the City of Novska.