ZAGREB ENDS ZAGREB, Sept 13 (Hina) - Investing into the South East of Europe is not spending, but investing in stability which will bring about prosperity to all, speaker of the Croatian National Parliament, Zlatko Tomcic, said in
Zagreb Wednesday in his final speech ending the two-day Stability Pact for South East Europe Parliamentary Summit gathering representatives from 40 countries and six international organisations.
ZAGREB, Sept 13 (Hina) - Investing into the South East of Europe is
not spending, but investing in stability which will bring about
prosperity to all, speaker of the Croatian National Parliament,
Zlatko Tomcic, said in Zagreb Wednesday in his final speech ending
the two-day Stability Pact for South East Europe Parliamentary
Summit gathering representatives from 40 countries and six
international organisations. #L#
Winding up the work of the conference, Tomcic recalled words which
had been heard most frequently from speakers, such as parliamentary
cooperation, dialogue, a new partnership between countries in the
region and the international community, and clear political will
aiming at the creation of a new, more secure and prosperous Europe.
There can be no stability without economic prosperity, Tomcic
asserted, adding that preconditions for overall development were
two processes -- investment and integration.
"Investments in the region, both political and financial, are the
only way for it to permanently stabilise, but they demand good will
and hard work from both sides," Tomcic said.
This means that investors must understand that profit comes in
various forms and is not always gauged in money, while countries at
the receiving end must become able not only to receive, but also to
use these investments in the best possible ways.
"Integration (into European and Euro-Atlantic associations) is not
only desirable, but is unquestionable, and the alternative is not
independence but isolation," Tomcic stressed, adding that the wish
of countries in transition to integrate as soon as possible was not
only "a question of mythology", but is a necessity and reality.
"In today's world both threats and possibilities are increasingly
less aware of state borders, and the instability of one part
directly or indirectly endangers the stability of the entirety".
Because of this, Tomcic stressed, the progress and development of
Croatia or Bosnia-Herzegovina will contribute to the progress of at
least one continent.
However, although integration is inevitable, the best means and
dynamics of its implementation must be found.
The process of stabilisation and association, as well as the
Stability Pact, have at last clearly stated that which countries
aspiring to membership in the European Union have been asking for
from the very beginning, which is an individual approach and the
stimulation of every country to cooperate with its neighbours
without frustrations that its progress would be restricted by
anything except its own incompetence to implement reform, Tomcic
asserted.
In his final speech Tomcic recalled that during this two-day
plenary session, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had been
mentioned several times.
It is in the interest of all countries in the region and Europe,
including Croatia, for "democracy to step into Serbia as soon as
possible, but it can only be brought about by the citizens of
Serbia".
(hina) lml