80 million euros for five new veterans' centers

Following the successful implementation of the EU project to establish veteran centers in the Republic of Croatia, within which four veteran centers were built and equipped, today the Ministry of Croatian Veterans' Affairs signed a grant agreement worth almost 80 million euros for the expansion of the network of veteran centers, which will be built in five more cities across Croatia.

The existing centers were built in Šibenik, Petrinja, Sinj and Daruvar, and the new veteran centers will be built in Biograd na Moru, Krapina, Osijek, Senj and Virovitica.

The grant agreement was signed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans' Affairs Tomo Medved, State Secretary for Regional Development and European Union Funds Zrinka Raguž and Director of the Central Financing and Contracting Agency Dragan Jelić, and the ceremony was also attended by representatives of the cities in which veteran centers will be built and Homeland War associations from these areas.

Among the guests were MP Josip Đakić, President of the War Veterans Committee of the Croatian Parliament and President of the Association of County Communities, Associations and Members of the Croatian Veterans Association, MP and Mayor of Krapina Zoran Gregurović, Mayor of Virovitica Ivica Kirin, Mayor of Biograd na Moru Ivan Knez, Mayor of Senj Jurica Tomljanović and Deputy Mayor of Osijek Dragan Vulin.

In his address, Minister Medved pointed out the importance of this project for Croatian veterans and victims of the Homeland War, emphasizing that their contribution and sacrifice oblige us to care for them and their health and improve the quality of life, which is the purpose of veterans' centers.

 

"The project of building and equipping veterans' centers is one of the main infrastructure projects of the Ministry of Croatian Veterans' Affairs and enables comprehensive care for the veterans' and victims' population in one place, and the meaningfulness of the project is best demonstrated by the fact that the services of the existing four veterans' centers with a total capacity of 620 beds have been used by more than 14,000 users so far. Feedback indicates exceptional satisfaction with the programs, activities and professional approach offered, and now we will expand the support network to other parts of Croatia, enabling an even greater number of veterans and victims to access quality services," said Minister Medved. He also highlighted the individual approach to all users and the multidisciplinary team of experts who provide support to Croatian veterans and victims of the Homeland War through psychological, physical, social and work rehabilitation.

 

State Secretary Raguž expressed her satisfaction with the signing of the contract, adding that it is just one way for us as a state and society to thank the Croatian veterans who made the greatest sacrifice for Croatia. "Thanks to your courage, heroism and love for the homeland, today we live in a free and democratic state, we are growing and developing. That is why veterans' centers will be evenly distributed throughout Croatia, because Croatia defended itself from all its regions," said State Secretary Raguž, concluding that, regardless of the passage of time, the protection of the Homeland War and the strengthening of the rights of Croatian veterans are at the core of this Government's policy.

She congratulated Minister Medved and his team on the successful preparation and application of the project and praised the professionalism and engagement in the construction of the first four centers, expressing her belief that the implementation of the project to expand the network of veteran centers will be equally successful.

The total planned investment in the construction and equipping of the new five veteran centers based on the cost estimates from the preliminary designs amounts to almost 80 million euros. More than half of the funds, 41.5 million euros, have been secured from the European Regional Development Fund, and approximately 38.5 million euros will be secured from the State Budget, for which the Government gave its consent by Decision in December last year, as well as for the conclusion of today's Agreement. According to the preliminary designs, the total accommodation capacity of the new five centers includes 566 beds, and they could accommodate almost 10,900 users annually (for accommodation and day care). With the existing and new centers, the total number of accommodation capacities will increase to almost 1,200 beds, and in total, almost 23 thousand users will be able to use the services of the veteran centers annually.

SAFU Director Dragan Jelić emphasized that the first four centers are operating successfully and the project was completed without any problems, and he expects the same for the expansion of the network, i.e. the construction of five new veteran centers.

On behalf of the cities in which the new veteran centers will be built, the mayor of Virovitica, Ivica Kirin, addressed the gathering.