Regional development funding in the Balkans

Regional development initiatives across various Balkan and Adriatic nations continue to be supported through diverse public funding programs.

In Slovenia, the municipality of Gorišnica secured 960,000 euros in co-financing from the European Union and the Republic of Slovenia for the ‘Zelena Gorišnica’ project to upgrade urban green spaces. Meanwhile, Slatina in Croatia announced a 50,000 euro fund to assist local entrepreneurs and farmers in sectors such as tourism, IT, and agriculture.

In Serbia, the RESCALE project in Pirot, supported by the INTERREG VI-A IPA Bulgaria-Serbia program, is advancing its focus on digital transformation and the green economy. The project is launching an information day specifically to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) regarding digitalization and internationalization.

In Montenegro, the Ministry of European Affairs has introduced the fourth call for the Interreg IPA South Adriatic program. This initiative, which allocates approximately 1 million euros, aims to promote sustainable tourism management through knowledge exchange and institutional capacity building between Italy, Albania, and Montenegro.

In Croatia, the city of Rijeka has expanded its local social welfare efforts, allocating 100,000 euros to support gifted students across 23 primary schools. The city is also providing holiday financial assistance to retirees, elderly citizens without income, and long-term unemployed persons over 50, with payments ranging from 120 to 150 euros. Additionally, the local public library is undergoing training to enhance inclusive services for vulnerable groups.