Announcement of the Press Conference and Field Visit on the Completion of the First Swiss Contribution

A press conference marking the completion of the first Swiss Contribution will be held on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at 10:00 AM in the Grand Hall of the City of Delnice, Trg 138. brigade HV 4, Delnice. From 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM, a Project Fair of the Swiss-Croatian Cooperation Programme will take place at the square in Delnice near the market. Following the conference and the fair, a field visit to inspect the progress of the water supply and drainage system works in the City of Delnice and the municipalities of Fužine and Brod Moravice is scheduled. The field visit will start at 11:30 AM in front of the council hall and will last until 1:30 PM. The event will be attended by the Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds, Šime Erlić, the Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation, Urs Hammer, the General Director of Croatian Waters, Zoran Đuroković, and the Mayor of Delnice, Katarina Mihelčić.

The purpose of the visit to Gorski Kotar is to present the results of the projects aimed at improving the water supply and drainage systems in the City of Delnice and the municipalities of Fužine and Brod Moravice, as well as to mark the end of the first and the beginning of the second Swiss Contribution in the field of cohesion for Croatia. The total value of the contribution for EU member states amounts to 1.302 billion Swiss francs, with its implementation lasting until December 2029. With an amount of 45.7 million francs allocated to Croatia, Switzerland aims to further strengthen the cooperation between the two countries through the exchange of experiences, knowledge, and values in the areas of research and innovation, water supply and drainage, palliative care, and civil society. The second Swiss Contribution represents a continuation of the successful implementation of projects under the first Swiss-Croatian Cooperation Programme, where numerous positive results are already visible.

Under the first Cooperation programme, 11 projects were contracted, among which the project to improve the water supply and drainage system in Delnice, Fužine, and Brod Moravice is particularly significant for Gorski Kotar. The water supply and drainage projects in the Gorski Kotar area enhance the water infrastructure for the residents of the City of Delnice and the municipalities of Fužine and Brod Moravice, thereby also contributing to the preservation of water resources and environmental protection in the area.