ZAGREB, Jan 18 (Hina) - President Stipe Mesic said on Thursday the results of the government's first year in office were not spectacular, but that the starting foundation had not been either.
ZAGREB, Jan 18 (Hina) - President Stipe Mesic said on Thursday the
results of the government's first year in office were not
spectacular, but that the starting foundation had not been
either.#L#
Addressing a session marking the incumbent government's first
anniversary, Mesic said the government had chosen the right path,
reminding that the policy the government encountered a year ago had
brought Croatia into isolation.
The former authority led and financed an unnecessary war in
neighbouring Bosnia, took a wrong approach in implementing
privatisation, on the principle of suitability rather than that of
entrepreneurial effectiveness, and solved the unemployment issue
by sending people into early retirement, said Mesic.
The institutions of the system have to start functioning, which
will facilitate the solving of other issues, for instance relations
with UN's international war crimes tribunal in The Hague, he
asserted, also pointing to the need of passing a strategy for all
directions of social activity.
Mesic singled out halting the growth of unemployment as a watershed
for Croatia's development, saying it called for intensifying
efforts which will incite and accelerate economic growth.
The president believes it is necessary to liberalise the visa
system, focus on old and seek new markets.
As successful examples, he singled out the opening of food-
processing industry Podravka's plant in Poland and the development
of tourism, which he said should also increase export. Mesic
stressed the production of healthy food and potable water were big
export potentials.
Speaking about plans, he stressed the need of decentralising powers
and finances from the state to lower levels, and simplifying
procedure for obtaining work permits in view of encouraging
entrepreneurship.
(hina) ha