The project was implemented in Brod-Posavina, Karlovac, Lika-Senj, and Pozega-Slavonia countries by the HZZ in partnership with the British consulting company WYG International Ltd. The European Commission assisted with EUR850,000 in technical aid and a EUR650,000 deed of donation.
The first phase of the project, carried out within the CARDS 2002 project, was completed last June and covered Zadar, Sibenik-Knin, Sisak-Moslavina, and Vukovar-Srijem counties. The second stage is expected to be officially completed early next month.
As part of the project, local labour markets were analysed and these analyses provided the basis for strategies for the development of human resources for each county which are expected to result in a more balanced offer and demand on the labour market, said Blazevic.
An advisor at the European Commission Delegation to Croatia, Oskar Benedikt, said the implementation of regional development and employment strategies was in line with EU countries' efforts to implement the Lisbon strategy.
He underlined that such projects must rely on a localised and not a centralised approach given the different level of development among counties, but also so that marginalised groups on the labour market, such as the elderly and the disabled, could be better integrated.
Benedikt said this was especially significant for Croatia because it would join the EU very soon so that it could prepare for membership and adjust to the demands of competition and uniform regional development.
Assistant Labour Minister Ante Vucic pointed to the still big labour market differences between Croatia and the EU.
According to figures for 2006, Croatia's employment rate was 54.8% against the EU's 63.8%, while the difference in the employment rate of people aged 55-65 was even bigger, Croatia's 31.5% against the EU's 42.5%
Vucic said this was still in great part due to the 1990s war and opening of the market to foreigners, and called for paying attention to rural and border areas, islands and regions which faced major industrial crashes.