No details were released regarding the approval, and the decision is to be officially confirmed in a month's time, the sources said.
Croatia nominated for the 2005 PHARE programme projects worth 87 million euros, seven million more than was originally granted.
The programme covers 25 projects which are to be financed with 77.5 million euros. Of those projects, 23 are intended for the strengthening of institutions and economic and social cohesion, totalling 71.5 million euros. The other two projects, amounting to six million euros, refer to cross-border cooperation.
The said set of projects is also to be financed from the national budget with 14.4 million euros. The remaining funds from the PHARE programme are intended for the payment of administrative costs, Croatia's participation in the TAIEX programme and horizontal programmes.
The purpose of the PHARE programme is to help countries implement the necessary reforms for admission to the EU and prepare them for using EU structural funds following admission, namely the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund.