ZAGREB, April 20 (Hina) - Croatian European Integration Minister Ivan Jakovcic on Thursday held talks with county prefects about the need of establishing county councils for European integration and development projects for which
Croatia will seek the co-financing of the European Union at a donors' conference in June. County European integration councils should gather the most responsible people, business people and non-government organisations, Jakovcic told reporters after the meeting. He stressed that the talks with prefects meant a beginning of decentralisation and that good cooperation with county prefects also guaranteed good work by the Ministry, because counties can contribute to the creation of projects the Ministry can they submit to the European Commission and call on cooperation in the financing of the programmes and projects. "At the last Government session the European Integration Minist
ZAGREB, April 20 (Hina) - Croatian European Integration Minister
Ivan Jakovcic on Thursday held talks with county prefects about the
need of establishing county councils for European integration and
development projects for which Croatia will seek the co-financing
of the European Union at a donors' conference in June.
County European integration councils should gather the most
responsible people, business people and non-government
organisations, Jakovcic told reporters after the meeting.
He stressed that the talks with prefects meant a beginning of
decentralisation and that good cooperation with county prefects
also guaranteed good work by the Ministry, because counties can
contribute to the creation of projects the Ministry can they submit
to the European Commission and call on cooperation in the financing
of the programmes and projects.
"At the last Government session the European Integration Ministry
was committed to coordinate all programmes of assistance provided
by the European Commission and we have begun the work with great
dynamics," Jakovcic said.
A special accent had during the meeting been placed on the creation
of programmes pertaining to small and middle-scale businesses and
crafts, Jakovcic said, expressing conviction that this was the most
important part of Croatia's economy which could enable a fast
economic development of Croatia.
Especially important is also agriculture, fishing and tourism,
branches of the economy which, according to the European
Commission, can bring in fresh capital.
Jakovcic said that some hundred concrete entrepreneurship projects
had already been catalogued.
The Minister called on prefects to submit programmes of the opening
of Euro-Info centres in counties, and expressed readiness of the
European Integration Ministry to cooperate in their financing.
"Every citizen in Croatia has the right to know what the
introduction of European standards in Croatia means, and I believe
counties and cities will show great interest in the establishment
of Euro-Info centres," Jakovcic said.
He recalled that one such centre had been opened in Cakovec more
than a month ago.
Jakovcic announced for next week a meeting with the mayors of towns
which have completed entrepreneur programmes.
(hina) lml mm