SIBENIK, May 26 (Hina) - The World Bank's director for Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia, Andrew Vorkink, has said that Croatia has made significant progress on the road to the European Union, however, it still faces a lot of hard
work.
SIBENIK, May 26 (Hina) - The World Bank's director for Bulgaria,
Romania and Croatia, Andrew Vorkink, has said that Croatia has made
significant progress on the road to the European Union, however, it
still faces a lot of hard work. #L#
The World Bank has had excellent cooperation with the Croatian
government on three projects which are currently important for
admission to the EU: the reform of the public administration, the
creation of a favourable atmosphere for foreign investments and the
establishment of a more just social system, Vorkink said in Sibenik
on Monday.
The World Bank's regional office for Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia
held its annual conference on the situation in the countries and
ways to help them on the road to the EU in Sibenik's tourist
settlement "Solaris". The conference gathered some 100
participants from the World Bank, the three countries and
observers. Present were also Croatia's European Integration
Minister Neven Mimica and the head of the European Commission's
Delegation in Croatia, Jacques Wunenberger.
Vorkink told reporters that over the past year Croatia had sought
210 million dollars worth of loans from the World Bank. The loans
were used to establish new cadastral and land registers, reform the
pension system, raise the level of traffic security and modernise
roads.
Mimica said the World Bank was the international financial
institution which had offered the most help to Croatia so far.
Croatia expects that assistance to continue, not only in the form of
loans, but also in the provision of expert help, he said.
World Bank officials are drawing up an economic memorandum for
Croatia, which will define a balance of benefits and costs related
to membership in the EU.
(hina) rml sb