As the transition to an environmentally sustainable economy impacts Ida-Viru County the most, the European Union's Just Transition Fund is targeted there to support the economy, people and environment, addressing emerging socioeconomic challenges. The total funding amounts to €340 million.

The largest ongoing project funded by a major investment grant, starting at half a million euros and totaling €153 million in grants, is the construction of a magnet factory by NEO Performance Materials in Narva. Of the €100 million required, €18.7 million is provided by the transition fund.

Thirteen million euros is allocated for the construction of a nature spa hotel on the northern shore of Lake Peipus, and nearly the same amount goes to Glued Wood Factory OÜ to establish a laminated wood products plant.

Estprotein Foodtech receives €10.1 million from the fund to establish a protein plant in Jõhvi to produce protein from rapeseed, while TK Sillamäe Development gets over €6 million to build a boutique hotel in Sillamäe.

VKG Plastic receives €4.9 million for its investment in Kohtla-Järve, and Aquaphor International gets €3.2 million to launch manufacturing of new products.

Additional funding is allocated for a factory producing more complex steel products, a center for receiving and processing waste wood and agricultural biomass, the construction of a boutique hotel in Sillamäe and the establishment of a painting workshop.

The most diverse group of beneficiaries is in the field of regional development initiatives. The largest amount, €200,000, is earmarked for the Aidu Water Sports and Leisure Center to enhance its attractiveness. A similar amount is granted to the foundation Vaba Lava for the project "Environmentally Sustainable Socially Inclusive Ida-Viru County."

NGO Rakvere Marathon receives €10,000 to organize Estonian sauna culture masterclasses in Ida-Viru County, the Estonian Disc Golf Association gets the same amount to hold the Estonian Disc Golf Championships in Alutaguse Municipality and NGO Estonian Axe Throwers receives over €61,000 to develop an axe-throwing center in Alutaguse Municipality.

An additional €26,000 is allocated to the NGO Assamait to establish a disc golf park in the Aidu Quarry.

A dance marathon is supported with €4,334, community day and volunteer work in Kose village with €3,776, a digital music library for the Iisaku mixed choir with €8,743 and a children's ice hockey summer camp with €9,922. NGO Kivinõmme Kütid receives €9,999 to replace the roof covering and doors of a hunting lodge.

Playgrounds are also being built, and youth camps, discussion groups and meetings are organized.

Ministry: Support helps residents give meaning to the transition

Ministry of Finance spokesperson Irina Satsuta told ERR that the regional initiative support measure provides residents of Ida-Viru County with an opportunity to actively participate in the transition process through civic initiatives, thereby better understanding and improving the overall living environment in the region.

"The support can be applied for through an open application round, meaning that anyone with an idea that meets the grant conditions can submit an application to the implementing unit for project support," she said.

When asked if practically any project in Ida-Viru County could receive support, Satsuta explained that applications are evaluated by a committee based on conformity and selection criteria outlined in the grant regulations. If an application scores high enough, the implementing unit will make a positive decision to support the project.

Funding for regional development also extends to local government investments, with €3.8 million allocated for a new kindergarten in Narva-Jõesuu, for the reconstruction of Sillamäe Music School, the youth and hobby center Ulei and the kindergarten Punamütsike in Kohtla-Järve. Additionally, €1.7 million is set aside for modernizing the community center in Voka and €784,000 for establishing a day care service at the new nursing home in Narva.

The fund includes €25 million for business diversification support services. This includes €8.46 million for establishing an industrial incubator in Narva and €5 million for the Ida-Viru incubation services program.

In the field of education, society and labor market relations, €21.7 million of the €25 million allocation is designated for the Education and Youth Board. This funding will be used to expand continuing education in Ida-Viru and to develop new curricula for vocational and higher education.

Three projects will benefit from the support for knowledge-intensive activities of Ida-Viru entrepreneurs, with two of them implemented by R-S OSA Service, aimed at processing oil shale ash in Narva, supported with a total of €3.9 million from the fund. Trisector OÜ will receive €658,000 to recycle valuable materials from mining waste.

Fifteen million euros is allocated for investment support to small and medium-sized enterprises, with the largest projects receiving nearly half a million euros each. These projects focus on establishing an engineering center, launching a pallet production line, producing wood wool and textile manufacturing.

A smaller amount, slightly over €30,000, is allocated for the establishment of a branch of the Lullabed Psychological Rehabilitation Center in Jõhvi.

Circular economy initiatives get €5.6 million, with current funding only going to the Environmental Investments Center to address environmental issues related to mining and oil shale processing in Ida-Viru, as well as developing regional waste management. Two projects have received a total of €747,000 in support.

The Environmental Investments Center also receives support for protecting the marine environment and water, with €2.7 million allocated to make oil shale industry pollution safe and assess alternative water resources in the region.

One point four million euros from the fund will be used for restoring the water regime of the Kurtna lakes, with the Environmental Investments Center as the beneficiary.

The Unemployment Insurance Fund receives €5 million to support employment and skills development for workers in the oil shale sector.

A similar amount is allocated to the Ministry of Social Affairs for developing social and healthcare services that support societal change in Ida-Viru County. Additionally, €840,000 is provided to the Ministry of Social Affairs to address environmental issues related to oil shale mining and processing and to reduce health damage.

Regionally, the city of Narva has the most projects supported by the Just Transition Fund, with 30 projects. Alutaguse Municipality and the entire Ida-Viru County have 16 projects each, Toila Municipality has 14 and Jõhvi has 13 projects receiving funding.

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