Speaking about preparations for negotiations with the EU, the Croatian PM stressed that the main negotiating team would be appointed in the next ten days. The starting point is the fact that EU membership would bring a number of benefits to Croatia, Sanader said, adding that he did not expect serious difficulties in the negotiations process.
Asked about the development of the economy and the creation of new jobs, Sanader said his government had a programme on the basis of which 477 projects for small and medium-sized companies across the country had been drawn up. Withing those projects, the government, acting as a partner to local self-government units, will finance 50 percent of the costs of creating new jobs. This year alone, the number of unemployed persons will drop by 21,000 in relation to the same period the year before, he said.
Sanader also announced the arrival of Croatian businessmen in Skopje. He stressed the two countries needed to advance economic cooperation.
When I speak at bilateral meetings and forums in Europe, I often stress that Europe cannot be whole without all countries in the region, Sanader said and added that on its path to Europe Macedonia could count on Croatia's support.