CROATIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES STABILITY PACT SPECIAL COORDINATOR

ZAGREB, April 12 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic on Wednesday received special coordinator for the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe Bodo Hombach, with whom he agreed that Croatia's path towards the European Union leads through the implementation of the Stability Pact. The Croatian President clearly said that Croatia's path to the European Union goes through the Stability Pact, Hombach told reporters after the talks with the Croatian president. Croatia is an important partner to Europe in the stabilisation of the entire region, and Croatia's primer interest is stability and safety in the region, Hombach stressed. At this level of the implementation of the Pact, it is important to bring a great number of private investors to Croatia, he added. Hombach reiterated his Tuesday's statements during meetings with Croatian officials that the most significant goal of the Stability Pact was to turn projects into construction sites. He added that a struggle against bureaucracy was of crucial importance, and reminded that the slowness of bureaucracy was a global problem. Croatian president's advisor for military issues Imra Angotic told reporters that the talks clearly showed that signals, which the new Croatian authorities had been sending to Europe, "have been carefully listened and gladly accepted". Europe is reacting very fast to them, Angotic said and stressed that the speed by which Croatia would accept European initiatives would depend on Croatia. When asked whether the talks discussed military issues, Agotic said it was not discussed, stressing however, Croatia's defence would be stronger once the Stability pact was implemented. (hina) it mm