The HNV leadership also welcomed the allocation of €1.2 million for the construction of a cultural and educational centre for Croats in Srijem, “Domus Demetriana”, a project being implemented by the Srijem Diocese.
The agricultural support programme, the first of its kind in the economic sector, is a project of the Cro-fond Foundation aimed at strengthening production, modernising equipment and improving the capacity of Croatian farmers in Serbia.
“This is a strong start to a process that can deliver concrete results for our people on the ground,” HNV president Jasna Vojnić told the paper.
The Croatian government has also continued funding other projects in Serbia, including institutional strengthening of the Croatian community through the HNV, for which €200,000 has been allocated, the weekly said.
A total of €2.9 million has been earmarked this year for projects supporting the community.
The largest component is an agricultural support programme worth €500,000, launched in January but not implemented due to a high number of applications. The Croatian government later agreed to a request from the HNV and Cro-fond to increase funding, which now amounts to €2 million.
“I am glad that members of our community took these incentives seriously and applied in significant numbers. This shows there is real need and room for further growth. I am particularly pleased that Croatia responded quickly by quadrupling the funds in the first year,” Vojnić said.
The funding decisions form part of a broader package of measures through which Croatia continues to support Croats outside its borders, aiming to preserve national identity, strengthen institutions and encourage economic development of communities, Hrvatska riječ said.