ZAGREB, Sept 3 (Hina) - Next year Croatia will face the need to reschedule its financial obligations and Canada will lobby for that option, Croatian Social-Liberal Party (HSLS) president Drazen Budisa said on Sunday. Budisa made the
statement at Zagreb's Pleso airport upon his arrival from Canada, where he and Social Democratic Party (SDP) president Ivica Racan had been on a four-day visit. The two party leaders met Canada's leading officials headed by Premier Jean Chretien. Budisa stressed the importance of a meeting with Canada's Finance Minister Paul Martin, at which assurances were given that Canada would lobby for Croatia. "Ivica Racan and I estimate that Croatia will face major problems, and possibly the inability to fulfil its international obligations", Budisa told reporters, adding the Croatian Chamber of Commerce had estimated than "next year alone it will be necessary to provide five to s
ZAGREB, Sept 3 (Hina) - Next year Croatia will face the need to
reschedule its financial obligations and Canada will lobby for that
option, Croatian Social-Liberal Party (HSLS) president Drazen
Budisa said on Sunday.
Budisa made the statement at Zagreb's Pleso airport upon his
arrival from Canada, where he and Social Democratic Party (SDP)
president Ivica Racan had been on a four-day visit. The two party
leaders met Canada's leading officials headed by Premier Jean
Chretien.
Budisa stressed the importance of a meeting with Canada's Finance
Minister Paul Martin, at which assurances were given that Canada
would lobby for Croatia.
"Ivica Racan and I estimate that Croatia will face major problems,
and possibly the inability to fulfil its international
obligations", Budisa told reporters, adding the Croatian Chamber
of Commerce had estimated than "next year alone it will be necessary
to provide five to six times more money to fulfil Croatia's
international obligations".
Budisa said the Canadian premier had promised Canada's support once
a detailed programme of debt-rescheduling was drawn up.
Canada is a member of the G7 group, which includes the most
developed countries, and it recently started chairing the G20
group, which consists of 18 most developed countries, the
International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank, Budisa said.
The Croatian officials and Premier Chretien discussed several
topics, including the development of political relations in
Croatia after the elections. Also discussed were Croatia's
position and the situation in south-east Europe, and the mine
removal process.
It was said that the US$100,000 Croatia was receiving for mine
removal was too little in comparison to Bosnia's 10 million or
Kosovo's five million dollars.
Racan and Budisa in Toronto also held a panel for members of the
local Croat community. The attendance was very good, Budisa said,
adding protest rallies were held in front of the hall were the panel
was held.
"A dozen people participated in those rallies and... they failed",
Budisa said.
(hina) rml