JAKOVCIC SAYS EURO-REGION OF ISTRIA COULD BE ESTABLISHED SOON

ZAGREB, March 17 (Hina) - Croatia's Minister of European Integration Ivan Jakovcic on Friday said one could soon expect the establishment of a Euro-region of Istria. "After the Euro-region Sava-Drava-Danube was established between Hungary, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Croatia, one can expect the establishment of the Euro-region Istria (between Croatia and Slovenia) in the course of this year," Jakovcic said, adding he hoped here would be more such Croatian-Slovene regions because they enabled citizens to live better. The minister made this statement following a meeting with the prefects of Croatian counties bordering with Slovenia, which tackled Slovene proposals regarding transfrontier cooperation. At a recent meeting between the Slovene and Croatian European Integration Ministers, Slovenia's Igor Bavcar handed Jakovcic potential projects of transfrontier cooperation. Slovenia has proposed 54 projects which refer to the area of traffic and border infrastructure, environmental protection, economy, and support for local and regional initiatives. Slovenia is willing to co- finance those project with some 20 million German marks. Jakovcic believes one can answer positively to those proposals through many segments of the state budget, however, municipalities and towns must also participate in their financing. He said money would also be secured from European funds for assistance to towns, municipalities and regions which support transfrontier cooperation. The minister announced he would soon meet representatives from counties in Croatia's southern region of Dalmatia and suggest the drawing-up of a programme of transfrontier cooperation with Italian regions. (hina) mm rml