Krapina-Zagorje County is the European Entrepreneurial Region for 2025.

Krapina-Zagorje County is one of three regions that received Award for European Entrepreneurial Region (EER) for 2025, awarded by the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels. The satisfaction with the received award was highlighted on Monday by Krapina-Zagorje County Prefect Željko Kolar.

Kolar emphasized that the award is the merit of all those involved in the development of Krapina-Zagorje County – from entrepreneurs and businesspeople to the education sector, civil society, and county institutions and companies.

– We could not have received a greater recognition, but this is also a huge obligation. Krapina-Zagorje County should serve as an example in implementing ambitious entrepreneurial strategies for sustainable, resilient, and digital growth and development of its local and regional economies. In our strategy, we have green, digital, smart. With full responsibility, we will take on that part of the job to serve as an example to all regions in Europe and we will create an action plan that will define the promotion of our county as the European Entrepreneurial Region for 2025, both in Brussels and Strasbourg, Budapest, but also in other countries where the largest trading partners of our entrepreneurs are – said the prefect.

He added that there is no county or large city in Croatia that is simultaneously implementing four projects with an approximate value of 18 million euros, as will be the case in the coming months in Krapina-Zagorje County.

– And all private investments, which are ongoing or will start in the autumn or spring of next year, are just one additional investment cycle and I expect that by the end of next year we will realize investments worth 400 to 500 million euros – concluded Kolar.

The Head of the Department for Public Procurement and EU Funds of Krapina-Zagorje County Vlatka Mlakar pointed out that the uniqueness of this award is that it pertains to the year 2025.

– We have extremely important tasks ahead in further promoting Krapina-Zagorje County as an entrepreneurial region. The Award for European Entrepreneurial Region is a key tool for the Committee of the Regions to promote smart, localized policies for innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises and industry that help build the state and future for regions and cities in the EU. The European economy is facing numerous difficulties, with combined effects of geopolitical movements, and the goal of European policy is to work on further strengthening the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises and enhancing industrial potential and resilience – said Mlakar.

She added that Krapina-Zagorje County is recognized as a county with clearly defined public policies, which is equally good as Barcelona, Milan, and other regions.

The Director of the Entrepreneurial Center of Krapina-Zagorje County Helena Matuša explained that the application for this award was based on the strategy of Krapina-Zagorje County, which encompasses talent development, innovation, and climate neutrality. She added that this award will attract new business partners in the projects of Krapina-Zagorje County, but also increase the visibility of the Zagorje region at the European level.

The President of the County Assembly of Krapina-Zagorje County Zlatko Šorša said that this valuable award is an incentive for what is yet to come. He added that two other counties were also candidates – Istria and Sisak-Moslavina, but the advantage for Krapina-Zagorje County showed the weight and significance of the ideas achieved in this region.

In addition to Krapina-Zagorje County, the award was also given to the Spanish region of Galicia and the Mazovian Voivodeship from Poland.