10.06.2026.
Representatives of counties, cities and municipalities were awarded 72 decisions on financing green infrastructure development in urban areas worth 131 million euros. The projects are co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, under the Competitiveness and Cohesion Programme 2021 - 2027.Deputy Prime Minister and minister of physical planning, construction and state assets, Branko Bačić, together with minister of environmental protection and green transition Marija Vučković, minister of regional development and EU funds Nataša Mikuš Žigman, and director of the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund Luka Balen, handed over to representatives of local self-government units 72 decisions on financing green infrastructure development projects in urban areas.
"With these decisions, we’re enabling the development of urban green infrastructure, and contribute to the achievement of one of the fundamental goals of the Republic of Croatia and the European Union, which is a climate-neutral Europe by 2050. These are our priorities and we are implementing a large number of projects along this route," said minister Bačić.
72 city and municipality projects will be implemented in 18 Croatian counties, and will include more than 340,000 residents, who will gain access to new green infrastructure. It is planned to plant more than 87,000 trees and shrubs, while greening interventions will cover more than 330 hectares of land. The projects will contribute to climate change adaptation, preserving biodiversity, and improving the quality of life of residents.
"These projects are most often associated with parks, green cultivated areas, green roofs. They certainly include such activities, but their message is that we are developing natural capital in our urban units. At the same time, we are implementing measures that reduce the risk of flooding, mitigate the consequences of climate change, and improve the quality of air and the lives of citizens," said minister Vučković.
Nataša Mikuš-Žigman, the minister of regional development and EU funds, stated that through these projects, local self-government units would have the opportunity not only to green their spaces, but also to contribute to the achievement of the green goals of Croatia and the EU.
"Through the implementation of these projects, the use of European funds and project implementation will be further improved. Regarding the part of cohesion policy, Croatia is at 80% of the contracted funds, which puts us above the European Union average in terms of contracts. Also I can point out that we are also above the European average in terms of approved costs," said minister Mikuš-Žigman.
Director of the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, Luka Balen, said that the Fund, in cooperation with the line ministries, had supported about 200 climate change adaptation projects with 45 million euros in the past few years, which included, among other things, the development of green infrastructure, i.e. the planting of more than 145 thousand trees and other vegetation. He added that the Fund, under this call of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets, provided professional assistance to applicants in the preparation of project proposals, resulting in a large number of approved projects. "Now, the Fund’s Intermediate Body will oversee the actual implementation. The goal is for all contracted projects to be successfully implemented and remain a lasting value for local communities, contributing to greener, more resilient and more pleasant urban environments for citizens", concluded Balen.
