Varaždin Secures €25m EIB Loan for New Schools, Sports Facilities and Green Spaces

Varaždin plans to revitalise its sports infrastructure through a new public swimming pool complex and a major reconstruction and expansion of the Graberje sports hall.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a €25 million loan agreement with the City of Varaždin to improve public services, modernise infrastructure and enhance everyday life for residents. Combined with municipal resources and EU funding, the loan will support an investment programme worth around €100 million over the coming years. The agreement marks the EIB's first direct financing for Varaždin, building on its cooperation with the city through technical advice and lending.

The programme runs through 2030 and covers schools, cultural and sports facilities, greener public spaces and renovations that will reduce energy consumption and public buildings' operating costs. Residents will benefit from improvements to facilities they use regularly, with projects designed to meet the city's future needs as well as existing demand. Construction and renovation work is expected to create jobs during implementation and bring lasting benefits for residents, businesses and visitors.

EIB Vice-President Marko Primorac said cities succeed by investing before problems emerge, describing the agreement as support for projects that address residents' needs and prepare Varaždin for the future. He highlighted housing, schools and cleaner mobility as areas where investment can make a visible difference across the city. Mayor Neven Bosilj described the programme as Varaždin's most ambitious infrastructure investment cycle in modern history, backed by fully prepared projects.

New sports facilities and a dedicated Fire Centre

Varaždin plans to revitalise its sports infrastructure through a new public swimming pool complex and a major reconstruction and expansion of the Graberje sports hall. New sports centres at Jalkovec and "Srednjoškolac" will broaden the facilities available for recreation, training and community activities. The programme includes a new Fire Centre, which Bosilj said would give the historic cradle of Croatian firefighting the facilities it deserves.

More school capacity, restored heritage and greener surroundings

Extensions to III. and VII. Elementary Schools will provide additional capacity for pupils and support improvements in educational standards. The city will complete the restoration of its historic Synagogue, preserving an important cultural building as part of the wider investment programme. Development of the green Beli Kipi area through the "LifeBauhausingEurope" project will improve public space, complementing efforts to create a greener and more sustainable city.

Local investment with a wider regional purpose

The agreement was signed on the margins of Places to Stay, Regions to Grow: Investing in Croatia, a Zagreb conference organised by the EIB Group and the European Commission Representation in Croatia. Public authorities, financial partners and businesses gathered to discuss how investment can strengthen regional development, competitiveness and quality of life across the country. The event explored the emerging European "Right to Stay" framework, which recognises that talent is equally distributed but opportunity is not, and highlights investment in services, connectivity, skills, housing and local economies as a way to make regions more attractive and resilient.