Austrian Finance Ministry state secretary Alfred Finz visited the Croatian Interior Ministry to discuss the project. He told the press Austria advocated that Croatia's European Union membership talks start in the spring.
Croatian Interior Ministry state secretary Ivica Buconjic said the EU highly praised the activities Croatia had undertaken in the implementation of the Integrated Border Management project, which he added would serve as encouragement to continue with the implementation.
Buconjic said the first part of the project, referring to the border police, was completed early this year. The Interior Ministry had been implementing it with colleagues from Slovenia and Germany since 2001.
Speaking of the most important documents adopted in the implementation of the project so far, Buconjic highlighted the new State Border Control Act, a draft concept for the organisation of border police on the local and regional levels, and a new border police training programme.
Buconjic said the implementation of the third, EUR1.8 million part of the project, referring to the drafting of a national integrated border management strategy, was currently under way.
He said this part of the project was being carried out by the Interior Ministry with its partners the Austrian Finance Ministry and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development. The Croatian health and agriculture ministries, the State Inspectorate and the Customs Administration are also taking part in the implementation.
Finz said the aim of the project was drawing up a joint national border management strategy for the purpose of advancing the cooperation of all services involved.
He added the strategy could boost economic development, ensure a faster and safer border traffic flow, step up the safety of Croatian borders, help combat transborder crime and raise security in the whole region.