MANAGING REGIONAL DEMOGRAPHIC POLARISATION IN CROATIA - THE ROLE OF COHESION POLICY

Croatian regions are faced with different types of development issues, where demographic risks, including regional migrations, present important obstacles in attempts to achieve regional convergence and further economic development. In parallel with this, polarisation tendencies exist which can have multiplicative, multi-level and long-term unfavourable effects. The studies have confirmed that it is urgent to manage determined demographic polarisation, before it causes higher development disparities. The aim of this paper is to present chosen demographic characteristics of the Croatian regions which should be included in managing demographic polarisation and to give an overview of the possibilities seen through European Union cohesion policy (its framework, funds and innovative delivery tools) that can be used to prevent the causes and consequences of this polarisation. The results determine regional demographic polarisation interconnected with economic disparities in Croatia. Textual analysis in the paper confirms regional demographic issues are internalised in different strategic and regional policy planning documents, while discussion gives recommendations about implementation potential regarding also new approaches in cohesion policy. Utilisation of specific regional endogenous resources is important in managing polarisations which implies that it is necessary to deal with different cohesion policy instruments directed towards the various regional socioeconomic problems in order to address demographic risk. Besides European Structural and Investment Funds here can be applied tools concerning urban development that are also elaborated in the paper. Conclusions can be observed in deciding on future population and regional policy actions as well as in studies which deal with the cumulative effects of regional polarisation.