He told a seminar in Zagreb on Thursday the money from SAPARD was intended for immediate manufacturers and not the state, unlike the CARDS programme, whose money he said was aimed at strengthening state administration so that the SAPARD programme could be implemented.
The goals of the programme and the possibilities of using its funds were presented at the seminar, which heard that SAPARD was expected to contribute to the European Union's acquis communautaire for the common agricultural policy and define priorities and specific problems for the sustainable adjustment of the agricultural sector and rural areas in countries joining the Union.
Assistant Agriculture Minister Srecko Selanac said Croatia could expect to be granted approval for the use of SAPARD money in mid-2005.
The seminar heard that SAPARD measures include, among other things, investment in agriculture, food quality control, rural infrastructure.
Cobankovic said Croatia wanted to create a competitive agricultural sector, announcing intensified activity in environmental protection, ecofriendly production, and rural development.
The minister said the 2005 budget envisaged more money for subsidies in agriculture -- 2.04 billion kuna, an increase from this year's 1.9 billion.
The seminar was organised by the European Commission's Directorate General for Agriculture and Technical Assistance Office at the request of the Croatian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management.
(EUR1 = 7.6 kuna)