"Our goal is to encourage the balanced development of every part of Croatia," said Sanader.
The seminar pooled about 100 local government representatives from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia.
They were welcomed by EBRD president Jean Lemierre, who said the EBRD would hold several seminars in the capitals of Southeast Europe before its annual conference on activities in the region scheduled for May 2005.
Sanader said the Croatian Government was preparing further decentralisation in health, social welfare, forestry, the agriculture, water management, and particularly in the fiscal sector.
He voiced confidence the seminar would help the faster development of local government in Southeast Europe.
Sanader reiterated Croatia expected to be given a date for entry talks with the EU at the EU's summit in December, and that it was not leaving the region behind. He said Croatia was working towards meeting all criteria so that the talks could be launched, which he expects will occur by March 2005, and was determined to help the other countries in the region.
"The European project will not be complete without the inclusion of this part of Europe," said Sanader.
He announced he would visit Belgrade soon to sign a bilateral agreement on the protection of minorities, which he said was expected to help the normalisation of Croatia's relations with Serbia and Montenegro and the stabilisation of the region.
The EBRD seminar is intended to inform representatives of local government, various international institutions and business people about the co-financing of ISPA and PHARE programmes with EBRD loans.
The EBRD, the biggest individual investor in Croatia, signed 51 projects worth EUR1.2 billion through the end of 2003, mainly to support the development of the infrastructure and the private sector.