EU PROVIDES SECOND TO NONE ASSISTANCE TO CROATIA

ZAGREB, Oct 29 (Hina) - Since the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, the European Union's assistance to Croatia "has been second to none," the Office of the Special Envoy of the European Commission to Croatia said in a statement Friday. "EU financial assistance to the Republic of Croatia since the break-up of the SFRY has been second to none, totalling close to 3 billion kuna (about US$0.4 billion)," said the fact sheet, distributed to reporters during a news conference by the Finnish Ambassador in Zagreb, Osmo Lipponen, about the results of a visit of the EU Troika to Croatia. Added to this is also the estimated annual value of about 750 million kuna (US$102.7 million) realised by Croatian exports into EU markets. The report continues by classifying the mentioned amounts, so that the fact sheet says Croatia received from the EU 2.3 billion kuna (US$0.3 billion) of humanitarian assistance, 410 million kuna (US$57 million) of assistance for reconstruction, 15 million kuna (US$2 million) for mine-clearance, 38 million kuna (US$11.9 million) for democratisation and respect of human rights, 30 million kuna (US$4.16 million) for independent media, while the estimated annual value is based on the fact that since 1996, "Croatia has been the most important beneficiary of the EU autonomous trade preferences". "To this must be added considerable bilateral assistance by individual EU member States," the statement stressed in conclusion. (hina) lml jn