For the third year in a row, Hanza Medija, Župan.hr, the Croatian Union of Counties and the Office of the European Parliament in Croatia, with the patronage of the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, organized a big competition for the best county EU project.

Osijek-Baranja County and Virovitica-Podravine County also received awards at the official announcement of the winners of the Contest for the Best EU Project, which was held in Zagreb on Tuesday.

This year, 37 projects that were implemented and/or completed in the previous two years, i.e. in 2020 or 2021, ending on January 31, 2022, competed for the title of the best.

The president of the Croatian Union of Counties and the prefect of Brod-Posavina Danijel Marušić made an introductory address to those present, who pointed out that by promoting such projects, examples of good practice are highlighted that inevitably leave a mark on the local community and encourage its development.

The contribution and significance of these projects in improving the living conditions of the local community showed that Croatian counties stand by the European regions with which they share a common goal, which is balanced regional development - said Marušić and added that the counties will continue to develop through new projects or upgrade existing ones.

In the category Contribution to the local and regional community, the best project was declared the Visitor Center - Dvorac Janković of the Virovitica-Podravine County, while the second place in the category Contribution to cross-border cooperation was won by Osijek-Baranja County for the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail project.

The Janković Castle renovation project began in August 2016. Virovitica-Podravina County, as the owner of the castle and the project holder, applied for the project under the call for "Preparation and implementation of Integrated Development Programs based on the restoration of cultural heritage". The reconstruction of the Janković castle in Suhopolje represents an integrated program aimed at saving the culturally, historically and architecturally valuable castle - through the revival of the cultural heritage and rich history of the Janković family, but also the cultural history of Suhopolje and the Virovitica-Podravine County. The reconstruction of the castle created a contemporary, modern multimedia exhibition space that brings together tourist, natural, cultural, artistic, tangible and intangible sights and heritage of the Virovitica-Podravine County. The visitor center Dvorac Janković in Suhopolje is our pride, which we have transformed from a ruined state into a beautiful building - emphasized Virovitica-Podravine Prefect Igor Andrović The Amazon of Europe Bike Trail is a project recognized by the European Amazon region as an area for connecting with nature through a 1,250 km long cycling route that attracts nature lovers in five countries and that also provides "green" jobs for the local population and finances solutions that are in line with with nature protection in protected areas of the biosphere. The project was also implemented in the Osijek-Baranja County, which thus became part of the new international cycling route that passes through the most preserved river system in this part of Europe – the Pentalateral MuraDrava-Danube Biosphere Reserve. The Amazon of Europe project has enriched the tourist offer of the Osijek-Baranja County, which we have been intensively developing in recent years, and I am glad that its value has been recognized by the jury - said the prefect of the Osijek-Baranja County, Ivan Anušić. 

Source: (www.vpz.hr, www.hrvzz.hr, www.jutarnji.hr Photos: Kristijan Toplak)