ZAGREB, March 8 (Hina) - Two roads are lying before Croatia, one to Europe and the other towards economic development and ambitious infrastructural projects, Prime Minister Ivica Racan said on Saturday.
ZAGREB, March 8 (Hina) - Two roads are lying before Croatia, one to
Europe and the other towards economic development and ambitious
infrastructural projects, Prime Minister Ivica Racan said on
Saturday. #L#
He spoke at the sixth assembly of the Zagreb branch of his Social
Democratic Party (SDP).
"The road to Europe is open, marked, and the speed at which Croatia
will arrive in Brussels depends on us," said Racan, adding this was
perhaps the first time in history that Croatians were so directly
and clearly faced with themselves.
"For the first time there are no foreign troops on Croatian soil,
for the first time we don't have a foreign boss, not even a
'father'," he said, telling his party colleagues the road to Europe
was all but easy.
"Some will get in in swanky cars, others, unfortunately, tired, on
foot," said Racan, urging the SDP to improve the country's social
situation. "This is the task for Croatia's social democracy, to do
what it can, not to complain about what's unrealistic, and to do
tomorrow what it cannot do today."
Racan cautioned about the issues that Europe accentuated -- respect
for human rights, the pace of refugee returns, cooperation with
neighbours and international institutions, which in Croatia's case
means cooperation with the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague.
"There is still not enough agreement in Croatia about these
issues."
Speaking of economic development, Racan conceded the coalition
government over the past three years had not done everything
citizens expected, had not been fast enough in implementing
reforms. He added, however, the government "has managed to kick-
start the development of the state, to blaze the development
trail".
"It was extremely important to move away from the brink of an
economic, even political abyss, while simultaneously maintaining
stability."
Speaking of infrastructure projects, Racan singled out the highway
from Zagreb southwards to Split, 13.5 billion kuna (EUR1.8 bln)
worth of investments in the railway, and a gas supply system.
"The Zagreb-Split highway is the test of our abilities, it will be
an opportunity to gauge the development capabilities of our
municipalities, cities, and counties," he said, announcing the
project of a highway from Split further south to Dubrovnik.
Racan said the SDP appreciated its ruling coalition partners, both
when they agreed and when they did not.
The coalition is a historic necessity, he said on his and his
party's behalf.
One has to learn to live with differences, said Racan.
His message to SDP's Zagreb branch was that it was important that it
persist on its path and prove that it was fair in governing the
capital.
(EUR1 = 7.7 kuna)
(hina) ha