Varazdin County has implemented or is implementing the EU-funded projects the value of which is estimated at HRK 784 million, the county prefect Radimir Cacic said on Friday at a ceremony marking the County Day.

Prefect Cacic underscored that all 150 county projects that had applied for funding from the European Union had been given a green-light.

So far, the projects worth HRK 176 million kuna have been carried out, and projects worth HRK 477 million are being implemented while those whose total value stands at HRK 131 million are in the pipeline.

Attending the ceremony, Economy Minister Darko Horvat said that the growth of the overall Croatian economy had to be accentuated.

Parliamentary deputy Josip Krizanic, who addressed the ceremony on behalf of the parliament’s speaker, said that the current government was creating prerequisites for steady growth and development.

County assembly chairman Alen Runac said that the results in this northern Croatian county were achieved through cooperation and without political bias adding that this was also recognised by the government that supported the projects.

However, County Prefect Cacic criticised the announced tax deductions for young people claiming that this would negatively affect the budget of this county where there was a high percentage of youth employment.

(EUR 1 = HRK 7.398835)