Extremely favorable geo-traffic and geo-strategic position, economically and demographically Sveta Nedelja is one of the most stable smaller cities in Croatia. High economic development, entrepreneurial zones and natural beauties are just some of the recognizability that make Sveta Nedelja attractive and pleasant for both living and doing business.
One of the most significant resources of the Sveta Nedelja economy is the group of work zones established in spatial and urban planning documents (Sveta Nedelja, Novaki, Rakitje and Top Kerestinec), while other smaller work zones are distributed in residential areas. Occupancy of the zones is 60-70%, which provides an opportunity to accommodate many of the other companies in the town. There are already urban and spatial plans for these zones, which makes it is easy to obtain the necessary documentation for a quick start to the construction of new business premises.
The largest work zone is Sveta Nedelja, with an area of 120 hectares. It is only half a kilometer away from the Bregana – Zagreb – Lipovac highway (E-70, Croatian designation A3), part of the tenth pan-European transport corridor, and ten kilometers from the international railway M101 (direction Zagreb – Ljubljana). The junction where pan-European transport corridors 10 and 5B intersect, i.e. the E-70 highway (Croatian designation A3), the E65 highway, and the E71 highway (Croatian designation A1) is nine kilometers away from the zone. The zone is ten kilometers away from the center of Zagreb, and five kilometers from the border with the Republic of Slovenia.
To the east of the town, is the work zone Novaki. It is the second largest work zone. A transport network set up to enable new construction is connected to the county road – Ž3063 (Ulica Dr. Franje Tuđmana). The construction of industrial production sites is planned only in zones outside of residential areas. These sites include the Rakitje industrial zone in the eastern part of the town along county road -Ž3064, and the Top Kerestinec work zone located in the southeast part of the town.
According to data from 2017, 795 companies are successfully operating in Sveta Nedelja. 8,829 people are employed, which is almost 1,000 more than in the previous year. The average net salary per worker was HRK 5,862 in 2017. According to unofficial information, in the past two years, the number of companies has risen to nearly 1,000. There is no information on the current average net salary, but it ranges between the average salary on the national level and the average salary in the city of Zagreb, which is about HRK 7,000.
The town of Sveta Nedelja has abolished:
❌ surtax
❌ communal contributions
❌ consumption taxes
❌ taxi license fees
❌ utility fees for hotels and camps
The town has also reduced utility fees for about 90% of its citizens and the flat-rate tax for private renters.
At the end of the year, the town of Sveta Nedelja implemented the largest tax relief for a unit of local self-government in Croatia. The surtax was also abolished (from 6% to 0%).
The communal contribution for housing construction was abolished for the construction of three or more apartments (it had been HRK 40/m3). It was also educed for the construction of one to two apartments by 50% (from HRK 40/m3 to HRK 20/m3), for the construction of low-energy houses by 80% (from HRK 40/m3 to HRK 8/m3), and for passive houses by 90% (from HRK 40/m3 to HRK 8/m3). The consumption tax was also abolished and utility fees have been reduced for the majority of residents. Since 1 January 2020, a new decision on utility fees in Sveta Nedelja has been in force. With that decision, the town has been divided into four zones for residential and garage spaces. Zone 1 is Hoto Villas (Strmec) and the centre of Sveta Nedelja (around the town square) where the utility fees will increase, while for the remaining three zones there will be a decrease in utility fees. These areas are comprised of (Zone 2 residential areas: Strmec (except for Hoto Villas), Sveta Nedelja, Rakitje, Novaki and Brezje; Zone 3 residential areas: Bestovje, Orešje, Kerestinec and Jagnjić Dol; and Zone 4 residential areas: Svetonedeljski Breg, Srebrnjak, Mala Gorica, Kalinovica and Žitarka).
In other words, with the decision on utility fees, 90% of residents will have their utility fees reduced, and at the town level, it will result in a reduction of the average amount of those fees. In the main town square and the Hoto Villas, utility fees are increasing, while in other parts of the town they fee decreasing from 2 % to 30%. Since a large number of buildings have been built over the past year, and major investments have been announced, with a significant increase in the areas for which utility fees are calculated, the loss of revenue will not be significant, estimated at around 2%. The utility fees for hotels, camps and apartment complexes has been abolished. Also, the flat-rate tax per bed in tourism has been reduced to the legal minimum of HRK 150 per bed or per accommodation unit in a camp. The fee for issuing taxi licenses has been completely abolished, which means that a taxi license in Sveta Nedelja can be obtained for free.