Ljubicic said that the implementation of the project would start immediately in Split-Dalmatia, Osijek-Baranja and Koprivnica-Krizevci counties, and that it would later cover the entire country.
The project is aimed at reorganising and computerising the social care system - social care centres, homes and aid centres - and at reducing their costs, Ljubicic said, stressing that social care systems would be organised on the principle of one-stop shops.
Until 2008, the project will be financed with a 30 million euro loan from the World Bank and 14 million euros to be provided by the Croatian government. Negotiations are under way with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency on 1.5 million euros for the financing of training and education, said Philip Goldman, haed of the project.
Goldman said that the project also envisaged the reconstruction of social institutions.
The goal of the project is to improve the organisation, financing and management of social programmes, he said.
Minister Ljubicic recalled that some 26 percent of GDP was set aside for social spending, of which 51 percent was intended for pensions, 26 percent for health services and some five percent for social care.
Ljubicic presented national project coordinator Lucija Cikes.