REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA - REGIONAL POLICY REMARKS

Ensuring good quality public policy with the purpose of improving working and living conditions in all areas of Croatia, especially in assisted areas, is the mission of the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, The policy of even regional development implies planning, implementation and coordination of activities of regional development policy as well as establishment of a comprehensive system of programing, management and financing of regional development. Development of assisted areas is one of the most important European Union guidelines and for this purpose almost one third of the EU budget is provided for cohesion policy implementation. Those funds are available through European structural and investment (ESI) Funds. In the 2014.-2020. budgetary period, Croatia has been allocated almost 10,74 billion euros from ESI Funds for various development projects which will contribu e to an even regional development and help achieve a smart, sustainable and effective growth. Besides through ESI Funds, an even regional development is also stimulated through national funding and implementation of strategically determined policies, goals, activities and measures. The Regional Development Strategy of the Republic of Croatia identifies three strategic goals focused on diminishing regional development differences and encouraging sustainable development, which should be achieved through synergy of actions on national, regional and local level. These goals are: (1) increasing the quality of life by encouraging sustainable territorial development, (2) increasing regional economy competitiveness and employment rates and (3) systematic management of regional development. This paper attempts to define detailed strategic goals and elaborate priorities for several adequate measures.