ZAGREB, March 27 (Hina) - At Thursday's closed session the Croatian government adopted a report on drawing the second instalment of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development's Structural Adjustment Loan (SAL), the
government's public relations office reported.
ZAGREB, March 27 (Hina) - At Thursday's closed session the Croatian
government adopted a report on drawing the second instalment of the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development's
Structural Adjustment Loan (SAL), the government's public
relations office reported. #L#
A USD202 million-worth agreement on the SAL is intended for
assistance to the government's programme of structural and
institutional reforms.
The deal was signed in Zagreb on December 5, 2001. The loan
supplements a macroeconomic programme supported by the IMF's
stand-by arrangement with Croatia.
Measures supported by the SAL help create new jobs by developing new
companies, especially small and middle-scale businesses.
The loan was granted with a maturity of 15 years and a five-year
grace period. The first instalment of USD102 million was drawn
after the SAL agreement came into force.
The agreement envisages the drawing of the second instalment by
March 31. Some conditions for the drawing have not been met yet, and
some will not be possible to meet by the set deadline, so the
government will send a letter to the World Bank, seeking an
extention of the deadline for fulfilling the conditions to July
31.
The government also adopted a report on the execution of an
implementation plan for 2003 of the Stabilisation and Association
Agreement between Croatia and European communities and their
member countries.
The government forwarded to urgent parliamentary procedure a bill
on the ratification of a European framework convention on cross-
border cooperation between territorial units or authorities.
(hina) lml sb