Place based intervention in Pomurje Jurij Kobal, Slovenia
Jurij Kobal Oikos, company working in Pomurje region on Government s Place Based Intervention. Working in Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia and Albania. Team leader: Ongoing monitoring and the Mid-term evaluation of the European regional development fund OP, European social fund OP and Cohesion fund OP and for the Cross border cooperation programs in Slovenia for the period 2007-2013, Team leader: Assessment of administrative and institutional capacity building interventions and future needs in the context of European SocialFund, European Commission, DG Employ Team leader: Concept of the regional development panning for thenorth Albania, GTZ Albania, Team leader: Coordination of the Public transport system for Ljubljana urban region and Ljubljana urban region Physical Plan, RDA Ljubljana Urban Region, Team leader: Ex-ante evaluation of the Operational programme for development of human resources 2007-2013, Operational programme for strengthening regional development potential 2007-2013 and operational programme for development of environmental and traffic infrastructure, Governmental office for local self-government and regional policy Locate me at: jurij.kobal@oikos.sior Twiteer: @jurijkobal
Slovenia is a Border Region
Unemployment rate (NUTS 3 Regions)
Latest employment mobility data
Regional divisions of Slovenia 210 MUNICIPALITIES - NUTS 5 12 DEVELOPMENT REGIONS - NUTS 3 2 COHESION REGIONS - NUTS 2 EASTERN SLOVENIA WESTERN SLOVENIA
Registered unemployment rate by administrative unit (NUTS 4); Dec 2009
Situation 2009: Economic crisis hits Pomurje unemployment rate jumps to 23% in few weeks 2009: Government and later Parliament approves the Law on Development support to Pomurje 2010: Program for support to Pomurje approved by the Government
Support frame in the Law 1. Programme to boost Competitiveness of the Pomurje region in the period 2010 2015 2. Employment incentives 3. Tax relief applicable to investments 4. Priority treatment of programmes and projects in the Pomurje region competing for funds from national programs, European cohesion policy and rural development policy.
Program for competitiveness The Programme consists of the following instruments: Encouraging corporate investments and the creation of new jobs Encouraging human resources development Promoting social entrepreneurship Promoting the region to attract new domestic and foreign investors Support in the preparation and implementation of new development projects in the region
Funds available Additional funding through program for competitiveness of 33 million EUR Other sources from national to EU funding 230 million EUR
Idea behind Objectives Strategies Traditional regional policies Balancing economic performances by temporarily compensating for disparities Sectoral approaches New paradigm Tapping under-utilised potential to enhance regional competitiveness Integrated development projects Tools Subsidies and state aids Soft and hard infrastructures Actors Central government Different levels of government &.. Source: Mario Pezzini, OECD
Immediate impact
What was implemented in one year 2 public tenders for the investments in technologies 8 million EUR tendered 3 million spent 2010 and 160 new employments gained 3 major public tenders for services: Social entrepreneurship Promotion and branding Capacity building
Things done in 2010 Region started to understand its positionnow it will need to move! First steps are hard. but.being oriented towards objective we can move! Opening of the region towards national and international community very important.
Lessons learned Region doesn t have a understandable and short strategy Region has no strong leadership Region does not know what is its specialization State applies any policy it wants to!
Lessons learned State officials do not change fast they have their way of doing things Regional officials do not change fast either Short term actions provide some impact while long term solutions need time and planning patience Strategic projects need time and multi level cooperation!
Lessons learned Wide all inclusive strategies are not Strategies Investing in infrastructure is something else than investing in Human capital Regional development agencies were implementing projects not RDP Implementing Regional Strategiesneeds to be an objective and needs to be financed.
And the future
National level Intervention is now part of overall national regulation Place based approach has a long way to go before getting it and implementing it
And Pomurje?
Key ares for future. Entrepreneurship Energy Tourism R&D Health services Neutrition Tourism Culture Logistics Entrepreneurship