The Annual Meeting of the Financial Mechanisms of the European Economic Area and the Kingdom of Norway for the period 2014-2021 was held in Zagreb

In Zagreb, on November 28, 2024, the Annual Meeting was held within the implementation of the Financial Mechanisms of the European Economic Area and the Kingdom of Norway for the period 2014-2021. Representatives of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Mr. Lars Andersen, Head of the delegation, Mrs. Sigríður Eysteinsdóttir as the representative of Iceland and the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway in Zagreb, H.E. Arne Sannes Bjørnstad, Deputy Mr. Helge Klouman Marstrander and representatives of the Office for Financial Mechanisms from Brussels.

The meeting was opened by the Head of the Directorate for Strategic Planning and Coordination of EU Funds, Mrs. Iva Novak, highlighting the excellent results achieved in the past year within the framework of three national programs – Justice and Internal Affairs, Energy and Climate Change, and Local Development and Poverty Reduction, which were also confirmed by donors in their introductory speeches, highlighting the excellent bilateral relations. In the framework of the meeting, successful projects were presented as well as conclusions and lessons learned within the scope of the implementation so far.

On the previous day of the visit, November 27, at the Faculty of Science, donors were presented with the results of the CRONOS project – “Geophysical-seismological research of earthquake-prone areas in the Republic of Croatia and the development of attenuation relations for predicting seismic ground motion”.  The visit was also attended by the State Secretary in the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, Mr. Domagoj Mikulić and representatives of the National Focal Point. Project promotors have presented to the attendees the equipment acquired within the project aimed at increasing the seismic safety of the Republic of Croatia, which will contribute to better safety of citizens and the reduction of seismic risk and preparation for natural disasters. The project is implemented within the Local Development and Poverty Reduction program, the implementation of which is the responsibility of the Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds.

At the end of the two-day visit, both parties expressed their satisfaction with the results and projects within the implementation of the Financial Mechanisms in the Republic of Croatia.