Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Marko Pavic in Karlovac on Friday awarded 14 contracts worth over HRK 14 million for projects in Karlovac County co-funded by the EU.

The contracts will co-finance investments worth HRK 63 million.

This year HRK 300 million has been ensured nationally for projects co-funded by the EU, Pavic said, adding that HRK 1.2 billion in EU funds had been contracted in Karlovac County to date.

He said the incumbent government had raised the contracting of competitiveness and cohesion funds from 9% to 84%, and reiterated that European funds were changing Croatia.

He said HRK 1.6 billion in European funds had been allocated for healthcare and that they were also being used to co-fund road building, education and energy efficiency. Significant funds are being absorbed from the European Social Fund as well, he added.

The cohesion policy is aimed at raising the standard of living, creating jobs an providing better services, the minister said.