The final conference of the project was held in Osijek on Wednesday, 20 with a high attendance of state administration bodies, local self-government units and representatives of state and public bodies. Member of the Board of Croatian Forests, Igor Fazekaš, opened the conference and emphasized that as a company, they are one of the largest users of EU funds in the Republic of Croatia, something they are particularly proud of. One of such projects is the Naturavita project. As beneficiaries of the Hrvatske šume d.o.o. project. We are grateful to our partners for their excellent cooperation and respect throughout the duration of the project. Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović emphasized the importance of completing this strategic project, which brings the Republic of Croatia closer to this year’s goal, which is to completely free Osijek-Baranja County from mine hazards. 100% of the total planned area was cleared of mines, 1,762 anti-personnel mines, 3,103 anti-armor mines and 746 pieces of various unexploded ordnance were found and destroyed in the demined area. In total, there are 5,611 pieces of explosive remnants of war. According to the Minister, there are still 6.7 km2 left in the Osijek-Baranja County, which will be cleared of mines by the end of October 2023. On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the Minister expressed special thanks to the pyrotechnic teams, who perform one of the most difficult tasks in challenging conditions and the most stressful jobs, and to all members of the project team. State Secretary Domagoj Mikulić spoke on behalf of the project partner of the Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds and emphasized the advantages of using European Union funds. Mayor Ivan Anušić thanked everyone who participated in the project and successfully brought it to an end, because such projects contribute to the growth of the entire economy. The project, which lasted almost five years, as a result, in addition to all other advantages, brought safe tourism to the city of Osijek, and will certainly help create new opportunities. This is supported by the increased number of guests visiting Osijek, Kopački rit, Baranja and Osijek-Baranja County as a whole, emphasized Dragan Vulin, Deputy Mayor of Osijek. According to the director of the Institute for Nature Protection of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Croatia, Aljoša Duplić, this project is an excellent example of cross-sectoral cooperation. The director of the Kopački rit Nature Park, Ivo Bašić, emphasized the importance of the restoration and protection of the project area, which includes forests and large bodies of water as an indivisible part of the project to protect and preserve water and water-dependent ecosystems. From the point of view of one of the stakeholders of the project, Hrvatske vode, the director of the VGO for the Danube and Lower Drava, Željko Kovačević cites as a special feature the determination of the zero state of water ecosystems and the retention capacity, using a 3D model of PP Kopački rit made with LIDAR, and for the preparation of the Study of Revitalization of Water Ecosystems of the Flood areas of the Kopački rit Nature Park.
