The first contracts were signed in Petrinja within the Call „Strengthening capacities of CSOs to respond to local needs“, for which HRK 120 million were provided from the ESF.
On the occasion of completion of the contracting process of projects from the Call for grants
„Strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations to respond to local needs“, the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs (GOfNGOs) organised a formal contracts award ceremony, on 2 November 2021. Projects contracted on the basis of the Fist Decision are worth more than HRK 10 million, and are co-financed from the European Social Fund and the State Budget in the position of the GOfNGOs.
The signatoires were welcomed by the Croatian Government Deputies Prime Minister,Tomo Medved and Boris Milošević and the representatives in the ESIF Managing and Control System in the Republic of Croatia in the period 2014-2020.
Luka Bogdan, Deputy Director of the National Foundation for the Civil Society Development emphasized importance of CSOs activities in the crisis situation. He also stressed the confidence of public institutions in the ability of civil society to provide quality services and the importance of cooperation in project implementation.
Dragan Jelić, State Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy stated that by the investments from the Operational Programme „Efficient Human Resources“ for the financial period 2014-2020 it is highlighted the importance and need for the civil sector involvement, for which almost HRK 542 million within 343 contracts under priority axis 4. Good Governance. He also added that he hopes the efforts of the 2014-2020 financial period would deliver full potential in the new financial period 2021-2027.
The Chairman of the Parliament Committee for regional development and EU Funds Marko Pavić, stated that this Call was the Croatian Government response to the request of 200 associations seeking funding to supporting of CSOs' work in the local community due to the newly emerging corona crisis
The Deputy Prime Minister of the Croatian Government, Boris Milošević pointed out the importance of joint action of the national and the local government, in cooperation with civil and private sector in realisation of problems caused by the pandemic and devastating earthquake. He also announced that the remaining funds provided under the Call will soon be contracted and thanked the present representatives of the associations in thier community-services work.
The Croatian Government Deputy Prime Minister, Tomo Medved, thanked all associations and initiatives which contributed to problems resolving to local population in areas devastated by earthquake during last 10 months. He reminded of the activities of the National Crisis Units (headquarters) in removing earthquake-dammaged buildings, as wll as in reconstrucion, where volunteers organized through various forms of associations were of special importance. He also pointed out the advantages of synergistic action of the Government, local and regional self-government and civil society organisations, with the desire to overcome all the difficulties of the local population through joint action.
In the continuation of the ceremong the contracts were awarded to the present CSOs representatives.
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