The report "Millennium Development Goals: Progress and Prospects in Europe and Central Asia" reads that Croatia has already met or is very likely to meet the goals of eradicating poverty, achieving gender equality, reducing child and maternal mortality and curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.
The World Bank says that it is difficult to say if the goal of universal primary education will be fully achieved, and as regards access to water and sanitation infrastructures, as in case of a number of other countries, the World Bank did not have enough data for Croatia to determine if that goal will be achieved.
Most Southeast European countries are likely to achieve the Millennium Goals, but Romania probably will not achieve the goal of arresting the spread of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases due to an increase in tuberculosis cases, while Turkey is not likely to achieve the goal of gender equality, reads the report.
Although transition countries of East Europe and Central Asia are closer to meeting the UN goals than other developing countries, many of them still need to invest a lot of effort to achieve those goals, reads the report.
It is expected for the time being that only Poland and Hungary will meet all goals, while Tajikistan is not expected to meet any of the goals, reads the report.
Some East European countries and former Soviet states, such as Baltic countries and Russia that are facing an HIV/AIDS epidemic, have the least chance of meeting health goals.
The report also notes that special efforts must be invested by Central and Southeast European countries with regard to the Roma community, since the Roma are the largest and most vulnerable minority in the region.