President Milanović Visits Business Zone East in Čakovec

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović visited the City of Čakovec and toured Međimurje Business Park – Business Zone East.

In the company of mayor Stjepan Kovač and deputy mayors Mario Medved and Zoran Vidović, President Milanović toured the northern part of Business Zone Čakovec East in the Međimurje Business Park where a construction project of basic joint infrastructure is under way. With the construction of the joint infrastructure preconditions will be met for improving the operation of small and medium-sized enterprises. Thus the attractiveness of the Zone’s location will further be enhanced, new investors will be attracted and opportunities for new job openings will be created, City officials noted.

The Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts designated 10 million HRK in non-refundable grants, which is 80% of the project’s total value, and the contract was negotiated in June 2019. The project’s total value is 12,407,676.56 HRK, and is co-financed on the basis of the Contract on Allocation of Non-Refundable Grants for projects financed by European Structural and Investment Funds in the 2014-2020 financial period. Thanks to the development of the infrastructure, 18 construction plots will be ready for investors.

In his statement to the media after the visit to the business zone, President Milanović commented on the functioning of the local self-government. “I don’t think that the number of municipalities is the main Croatian issue. There are cities and municipalities that can operate independently, some can’t. There are cities and municipalities that are rich such as those on the coast. In general, Croatia’s structure is sustainable and has to be improved”, the President of the Republic noted. Asked by reporters why people are leaving Croatia, the President said that one of the reasons is the fact that people have the possibility to go work abroad. “We can’t resent people for struggling for a better life. It’s up to us to do everything for people to stay in Croatia”, President Milanović stated.

Accompanying President Milanović on the tour was the Special Adviser for the Economy Velibor Mačkić.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek