Fund representatives at Varaždin Info Day | Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund

17.04.2023.

The Public Institution for Regional Development of Varaždin County organised the first in a series of presentations on the possibilities of co-financing for environmental protection and energy efficiency projects.

At the event, Mirko Budiša, the deputy director of the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, said that all programmes that were implemented by the Fund were aimed at speeding up the green transition. “Last week, we launched the first four calls for the local units, public utilities, and public institutions. We’ve earmarked 14.8 million euros for climate change and environmental projects, and this is just the beginning. We want to present these calls today to make sure that applicants are successful, and also to briefly outline the remaining public calls and calls for proposals the Fund is planning during this year,” announced Budiša.

County mayor Anđelko Stričak pointed out the importance of renovation of energy inefficient public buildings in achieving the sustainable development targets, reducing fuel and maintenance costs, and of encouraging the citizens to make their homes energy efficient as well. “The County has a number of energy renovation projects planned, and we are trying to produce electricity in school buildings. 20 schools already have PV panels installed, and 13 more should be getting them during the year, and we have 10 more similar project in the pipeline. The achieved savings will allow us to initiate development programmes,” explained Stričak, and invited town and municipality mayors to take advantage of the options offered, setting an example for their fellow citizens.

The managing director of the Public Institution for Regional Development of Varaždin County Mladen Jakopović believes that Croatia is facing a challenging period of the new financial perspective. “This area has plentiful investment possibilities, which we have to use through the available sources of financing. The importance of the promotion of energy transition is underlined in the Varaždin County Development Plan for the period 2021 – 2027, including all activities from the Green County Priority,” explained Jakopović. He announced that more information events for beneficiaries were planned, and that the experts from the Public Institution for Regional Development were at disposal to all local units and counties in providing professional help in the preparation and implementation of green projects.

The possibilities for their co-financing from national and European funds were presented to the attendees by experts from the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund. Aleksandra Čilić, the head of the Environmental Protection Sector presented environmental protection and waste management programmes, while Vesna Cetin Krnjević, the head of the department at the Sector for EU Funds, explained the programmes for financing of the national component for EU projects, and the role of support to beneficiaries in their implementation, and announced the programmes for the co-financing of the food waste prevention programmes. Mladen Ilijević, the head of one department at the Energy Efficiency Sector, talked about the energy the programmes for the promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy, while Predrag Čuljak, the head of the department at Intermediate Body level 2, presented the options for financing from EU funds, including under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.