OSIJEK, March 22 (Hina) - The Community of Returnees of Croatia (ZPH) began a conference in Osijek on Saturday marking the tenth anniversary of its establishment, under the auspices of parliament president Zlatko Tomcic.
OSIJEK, March 22 (Hina) - The Community of Returnees of Croatia
(ZPH) began a conference in Osijek on Saturday marking the tenth
anniversary of its establishment, under the auspices of parliament
president Zlatko Tomcic. #L#
In his introductory address, ZPH president Josip Kompanovic
pointed to the difficult economic and social situation in formerly
war-struck areas -- called areas of special state concern --
especially the high unemployment and drain of young people. He
called for a "radical turnabout in the economic policy towards
those areas".
Kompanovic proposed that only one ministry be put in charge of
budgetary funds for the economic revival of those areas. He asked
for the passing of legislation which would stipulate benefits for
domestic and foreign investments in said areas "on the level of
conditions set for the establishment of free business zones".
Sabor president Tomcic said Croatia lacked a special development
strategy for areas of special state concern.
He supported the idea that parliament make an analysis of the real
situation in those areas, and said the employment system should be
adapted to the young in order to prevent them from leaving.
Tomcic told reporters later he expected all responsible people in
the country to realise there were issues on which there should be
consensus, including areas which during the Homeland War were hit
the hardest.
He called for changing the asymmetrical approach to those areas
which he said saw a successful reconstruction of houses while
investing in economic development was neglected.
Attending the ZPH conference are Assistant Public Works,
Reconstruction and Construction Minister Lovro Pejkovic, MPs, and
Osijek-Baranja County prefect Zdravko Bosancic.
The conference will wrap in the afternoon with the adoption of a
declaration.
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