Croatia will need about EUR 10.5bn for direct investments in order to adjust to EU’s environmental protection regulations. Together with indirect investments, the amount would be much higher.

Together with agriculture, this will be the most expensive area of EU harmonization, says Nikola Ruzinski, former state secretary for environmental protection and Croatian negotiator with the EU for Environmental Protection and Energy.

According to the relevant ministry, waste water treatment and sewage accounts for EUR 3.5bn, water supply will cost 1.7bn, waste management 2bn, air protection and reduction of industrial pollution

2.5bn, while the rest will go to nature preservation, monitoring and other necessary investments. Investments in renewable energy are planned at EUR 6bn, while major investments are also required in energy efficiency and transport. The Environmental Ministry expects most of the money from EU’s structural and cohesion funds.