PM Plenkovic: We want to reverse negative trends in Slavonia

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said at the first meeting of the Council for Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem in Osijek on Tuesday that the government wanted to reverse the negative demographic and economic trends in Croatia's eastern region and focus on its development by relying on domestic and European sources of financing.

"Our aim is to keep the focus of this and future governments on Slavonia and raise awareness of the potential offered by the financial perspective for the further development of that part of Croatia, because we have access to nearly 2.5 billion euros which can be channelled towards the development of eastern Croatia," Plenkovic said. He added that it was important to achieve synergy among all partners so that government efforts could be additionally reinforced by EU funding.

Plenkovic said that agriculture, regional development, energy, transport, small and medium-sized businesses and rural development were the government's priorities for eastern counties, noting that the spirit of partnership with local and regional government units was one of the fundamental principles of government work.

"We have politically recognised the negative demographic trends and emigration from war-devastated areas, so our ambition is to reverse those trends by focusing on the development of the entire region and to make visible and relevant changes during the term of this government by using national and EU funding," he said.

"The steps we took yesterday to stabilise the situation at Agrokor are relevant to Slavonia and developments confirm the correctness of the legal approach and of the action taken by all stakeholders in dealing with this problem," the prime minister said.

"I am sure we will come to a solution that will not have negative effects on the Croatian economy," he said, adding that this week the Ministry of Finance would also try to find solutions to the problems faced by the Borovo shoe factory, based outside Vukovar.

Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Gabrijela Zalac said that the government's aim was to ensure more balanced development of Slavonia, increase the absorption of EU structural and investment funds and build the local government capacity for the implementation of national and EU projects.

The government established the Council for Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem at its session of March 8 as an advisory body to coordinate the implementation and monitor the use of EU structural and investment funds and national funds as part of the Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem Project.

Text: Hina

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