GERMANY TO GRANT CROATIA 20 MLN EUROS FOR TOURISM, AGRICULTURE

ZAGREB, Dec 16 (Hina) - Representatives of the Croatian Ministry of European Integration and the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development signed in Zagreb on Tuesday a record of talks on cooperation and promotion of development, on the basis of which the German government will provide some 20 million euros for different projects in Croatia. #L# The document was signed after two days of talks by the heads of the two delegations, Croatia's Assistant European Integration Minister Davor Cilic and the commissioner of the German ministry, Leo Kreuz. The document has two parts, one referring to technical cooperation, for which 2 million euros has been secured, and the other to concrete financial cooperation, for which 18 million euros has been earmarked, to be provided in the form of loans at reduced interest. These loans will be subsidised by the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The allocated funds refer to this year, and individual projects will be implemented after the exchange of notes. Kreuz said that cooperation focused on the promotion of development in coastal areas and the country's tourist potential, as well as the development of rural areas, i.e. agriculture. The two delegations also discussed the continuation of projects of small and medium-sized companies, tourism development, water supply, and water and sewage management, especially on islands. Since the two countries signed a technical cooperation agreement in 1999, Germany has granted Croatia more than 80 million euros for different projects. It has also ensured more than 50 million euros in support to private investments, Kreuz said. Today's signing ceremony was also attended by German Ambassador Gebhardt Weiss, who said that the document signed today was a sign that Germany wanted to continue cooperation with Croatia, both with regard to bilateral relations and assistance to Croatia's integration into the European Union. (hina) rml