At its session on Thursday, the government distributed 6.5 million euros for 199 educational, scientific, cultural, health, agricultural and other programs and projects of interest to the Croatian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and continues to support the “Meetings of the Croatian Diaspora” project with 59,000 euros.
“With the aim of providing support for the return and sustainable stay of Croats, improving the quality of life and creating conditions for sustainable growth and development, the interdepartmental commission proposed 199 projects for co-financing based on a public tender, expert assessment of field supervision and held sessions,” the state secretary of the Central of the office for Croats outside the Republic of Croatia Zvonko Milas.
With the decision adopted by the Government, EUR 6.5 million will be allocated from the budget of the Central Office for the financing of educational, scientific, cultural, health, agricultural and other programs and projects of interest to the Croatian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the year 2024.
1.8 million will be allocated for programs and projects in the fields of education and science, 1.3 million for culture, 1 million for health, 686,000 for agriculture, and 1.7 million for other fields.
In the amount of EUR 59,000, the government will continue to support the “Meetings of the Croatian Diaspora” project, which has been declared a strategic project for Croats outside the Republic of Croatia.
“The government has been supporting this project since 2023, it is happening in the organization of the Croats of South America, and through various forms it is creating an ever stronger bond between Croatia and Croats from this part of the world,” Milas said.
Next year, the meetings will be organized in Brazil, and the money with which the Government supports it is provided in the state budget for 2024 and the projections for 2025 and 2026.
This is the eighth “Meetings of the Croatian Diaspora” in a row and will be the first meeting in a Portuguese-speaking country. It is also the year in which the 100th Croatian immigration to Brazil is marked, Milas added.
At the proposal of the Commission for the evaluation and determination of project proposals of strategic importance for Croats outside the Republic of Croatia, the Government declared the projects of the Banja Luka Diocese and the “Memorial Center of the Peace Cemetery at Bilam” as strategically important.
The Diocese of Banja Luka and the Mir International Association from Mostar will receive 530,000 euros from the budget of the Central Office for Croats outside the Republic of Croatia. Banja Luka Diocese for the Trappist monastery, i.e. the “Marija Zvijezda” abbey and for the church of St. Josipa and the pastoral center in Drvar 180,000, and for the Groblje mira Memorial Center 350,000 euros.
