The government adopted on Thursday the national programme for the development of broadband infrastructure in areas lacking sufficient commercial interest for investment.

This programme serves as a condition for the development of next generation access networks (NGA), which will cover 540 suburban and rural communities.

“This is also an extremely important programme for the use of the funding Croatia has been granted by the European Commission, and for access to the Internet, and new generation technologies, across the country,” Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovic, said.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Oleg Butkovic said this programme was important for achieving the goals of the Digital Agenda for Europe strategy by 2020, and of the strategy for the development of broadband Internet access in Croatia.

Digital Agenda for Europe was launched in May 2010, and is aimed at boosting Europe’s economy by delivering sustainable economic and social benefits from a digital single market.

The adoption of this programme will make it possible for Croatia to use up to €101.4 million from EU funds, of which 86.2 million or 85 percent will come from the European Fund for Regional Development in accordance with a European Commission decision, Butkovic said.