ZAGREB, Dec 13 (Hina) - The European Integration Ministry presented Croatia's national programme for joining the European Union for 2003 at a news conference held in Zagreb on Friday.
ZAGREB, Dec 13 (Hina) - The European Integration Ministry presented
Croatia's national programme for joining the European Union for
2003 at a news conference held in Zagreb on Friday. #L#
The government has established the dynamics and contents of what is
to take place in the adjustment of Croatian legislation to the EU's
Acquis Communantaire, as well as a programme of all future
activities, European Integration Minister Neven Mimica told the
news conference.
He said the programme was "ambitious", but also "realistic" because
it reflects what can be achieved in 2003.
The programme for 2003 foresees the adoption of 83 laws and bylaws.
It includes 13 chapters of EU's Acquis Communantaire. By
implementing the programme, Croatia would fulfil about 80 percent
of its obligations from its Stabilisation and Association
Agreement (SAA) with the EU, Mimica said.
Apart from naming the bodies in charge of implementing all
obligations, the programme points to not only what needs to be done,
which has already been nominally defined in the SAA implementation
plan, in force since October 2001, but also explains why the changes
are being implemented as well as their contents, Mimica said.
The programme also states the budgetary funds necessary for
reforms, the minister said.
There will be no additional expenses for the implementation of the
national programme because its activities are covered by the
budgets of the state bodies which are in charge of them, said the
project's coordinator, Mimica's assistant for legislation
adjustment, Tamara Obradovic.
The national programme is not only the government's programme,
Mimica said. Parliament should adopt it next week, which will make
the programme the joint project of parliament and all parliamentary
parties, he added.
"The European integration process will no longer be a pre- or post-
electoral topic in Croatia," Mimica said. Everybody in Croatia will
join forces to implement the project, he added.
The programme is divided into five chapters - political criteria,
economic adjustments, the adjustment of Croatia's legislation with
EU's Acquis Communantaire, the upgrading of Croatia's
administration, and a strategy for informing the Croatian public.
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