Social & Economic Recovery Project

closed

The development objective of the Social and Economic Recovery Project in Croatia, is to support the economic and social revitalization of disadvantaged, and war-affected areas, as a way to increase social cohesion. The project components are: 1) The Community Investment Program, which will fund works, goods, and services for demand-driven subprojects in Croatia's Areas of Special State Concern. Three general types of subprojects are envisaged in the areas of: social inclusion, economic revitalization, and small community infrastructure. Social inclusion subprojects are intended to improve access by war-affected, disadvantaged or vulnerable persons, and other stakeholders in the Areas of Special State Concern to community-based services, initiatives, and activities. Economic revitalization subprojects are intended to support the development of farm, and other income generation activities in local communities. Supporting existing cooperatives and SMEs will facilitate access to existing sources of funds, and capacity will prepare and implement bankable projects. Supporting the start-up of new cooperatives will be based on cooperative development in Croatia, and internationally. It will include the provision of grant-funded start up capital, and technical assistance to encourage success. Technical assistance and capacity building for the SMEs will be demand-responsive, will provide financing for a business development program, and increase in the performance of existing business advisory services (Entrepreneurship Centers and Local Economic Development Agencies). 2) The De-mining component will fund services for de-mining, and the provision of goods. Its objective is to ensure that Community Investment subprojects achieve their intended potential without the risk of anti-personnel mine accidents. 3) The Institutional Development component will fund consultant services, equipment and goods for capacity building for central, regional, and local authorities. It will support regional development approaches by central and local administrations for/within the Areas of Special State Concern, establishing participatory and technically sound practices in territorial planning, decision-making, and implementation in line with the European Union (EU) principles. It will thus provide a) capacity building on the central level, b) financial support for the development of five county Regional Operational Programs (ROPs), and c) support for local institutional development, through training and technical assistance for municipalities and organizations.