WASHINGTON, March 28 (Hina) - Croatia will soon no longer need the funding the United States has been providing it with through its Support for East-European Democracy (SEED) programme and in 2004 the country will receive US$25
million to strengthen the rule of law and civil society, a State Department official, Thomas Adams, said on Thursday.
WASHINGTON, March 28 (Hina) - Croatia will soon no longer need the
funding the United States has been providing it with through its
Support for East-European Democracy (SEED) programme and in 2004
the country will receive US$25 million to strengthen the rule of law
and civil society, a State Department official, Thomas Adams, said
on Thursday. #L#
Speaking before the Congress sub-committee on Europe, the
coordinator for assistance to Europe and Eurasia said eight of 15
former European communist countries which in 1989 had started
receiving assistance no longer received the funding from the
programme. Those are countries which have already joined or are
about to join the European Union and NATO.
Adams said that the date as of which Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania
would no longer need assistance had been set.
SEED programmes secure funding which helps Croatia strengthen
democratic institutions and implement economic reforms while
preparing to enter the EU and leave the SEED programme after the
fiscal year 2006, Adams said.
In 2004 Croatia will be given US$25 million to strengthen its
administration and civil society and apply laws.
The United States is now oriented towards the remaining recipients
of assistance in South-East Europe.
Funding in 2004 will total US$435 million and in 2003 US$525
million.
After Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania leave the programme, only
Albania, Serbia and Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia and Bosnia and
Herzegovina will continue receiving assistance from the SEED
programme.
(hina) rml