Over the past five years of Croatia's European Union membership, 32 out of Croatia's officially designated 129 cities and towns have not withdrawn even one euro cent from EU funds, either directly or indirectly, the Gradonacelnik.hr website which reports on local government said on Monday.

The 32 towns are mostly small or medium-sized, the website reported in their analysis of the ability of local governments to draw EU funding.

On the other end of the scale, the eastern town of Lipik absorbed the most funds per capita in 2017, surpassing Ludbreg in the north of Croatia, which topped the list in 2016.

According to the website, Lipik absorbed 1.43 million kuna (€193,000) in 2017 or 233 kuna (€31.4) per capita, followed by the town of Zupanja, which is twice as large, and which absorbed 2.7 million kuna (€364,000) or 224 kuna (€30.2) per capita.

They were followed by Rab on the island of Rab (172 kuna or €32.2 per capita), Virovitica (164 kuna or €22.1), Pazin (160 kuna or €21.6), Velika Gorica (132 or €17.8), Klanjec (128 or €17.2), Pleternica (120 €16.2), Buzet (119 or €16.0) and Bjelovar (105 or €14.1).

According to recent data by the Finance Ministry, the town of Velika Gorica just south of Zagreb absorbed the highest amount of EU funding in 2017, totalling 8.4 million kuna (€1.1 million) or 10.4 percent of the total amount absorbed by all of Croatia’s cities.

The northern port city Rijeka absorbed the second highest amount (5.7 million kuna), followed by Osijek (5.03 million kuna), Bjelovar (4.2 million kuna), Zadar (4.08 million kuna), Sibenik (3.99 million kuna), Virovitica (3.49 million kuna), Split (2.98 million kuna) and Zupanja (2.7 million kuna).

The City of Zagreb, which has the status of a county, absorbed 8.6 million kuna (€1.1 million) or 9.7 percent of the total absorbed by all cities. However, per capita that amount results in only 11 kuna per person (€1.5), placing Zagreb 60th out of all 129 cities and towns.

The latest data regarding direct and indirect aid to cities in 2017 indicates a significant drop in funding absorption. However, the number of Croatian cities absorbing EU funds has increased, and in 2017 eleven more cities manage to draw at least some EU funding compared to 2016.

In 2016, cities absorbed a record amount of 269.1 million kuna (€36.3 million) whereas in 2017 the total amount absorbed was 89.2 million kuna (€12 million).

In 2017, a total of 77 cities and towns absorbed some EU funding, whereas in 2016 there were only 66.

(€1 = 7.41 kuna)

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