ZAGREB, Nov 19 (Hina) - The Croatian Interior Ministry and the European Commission Delegation in Zagreb on Tuesday presented a twinning project of strengthening Croatia's border police which is carried out as part of the EU's CARDS
programme. "Comprehensive Border Management -- Border Police" is a partnership project of the Croatian border police and border police forces of Germany as the senior, and Slovenia as the junior partner in the programme. The project was established by the European Commission. The aim of the twinning project is further strengthening of the Croatian border police in the fields of legislature, organisation, management, education and equipment. "One of the most demanding and costly issues from the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) is the establishment of Schengen standards on the border," Interior Minister Sime Lucin said at a ceremony at Zagreb's Opera Hotel on Tuesday.
ZAGREB, Nov 19 (Hina) - The Croatian Interior Ministry and the
European Commission Delegation in Zagreb on Tuesday presented a
twinning project of strengthening Croatia's border police which is
carried out as part of the EU's CARDS programme.
"Comprehensive Border Management -- Border Police" is a
partnership project of the Croatian border police and border police
forces of Germany as the senior, and Slovenia as the junior partner
in the programme. The project was established by the European
Commission.
The aim of the twinning project is further strengthening of the
Croatian border police in the fields of legislature, organisation,
management, education and equipment.
"One of the most demanding and costly issues from the Stabilisation
and Association Agreement (SAA) is the establishment of Schengen
standards on the border," Interior Minister Sime Lucin said at a
ceremony at Zagreb's Opera Hotel on Tuesday.
He stressed that Croatia had already begun adjustments to Schengen
with a number of activities.
"We adopted and are implementing a National Action Plan with the aim
to permanently stabilise the region and prevent illegal
immigration and smuggling," Lucin said.
Since Croatia is the first country covered by the SAA to have
fulfilled this condition within the set deadline, it is logical
that it also be the first in which the implementation of the
twinning project will begin, the minister said.
The European Commission Delegation chief in Croatia, Jacques
Wunenberger, stressed that this was the first project of this kind
in any country covered by the SAA.
The Commission's wish is to connect institutions of a EU member
country, in this case Germany, with those of a country aspiring for
membership, Wunenberger said. He added that similar programmes
were being implemented in countries which would be admitted into
the EU in 2004.
The EC diplomat expressed hope that the implementation of the
project, for which the European Commission has earmarked half a
million euros, would help strengthen the Croatian border police. He
announced new projects of assistance to Croatia's police as part of
the CARDS programme.
(hina) lml sb