ZAGREB, Nov 25 (Hina) - From the upcoming conference for +reconstruction of development, Croatia expects the start of a +process of including the international community in projects of +reconstruction of our country, Croatian
reconstruction and +Development Minister Jure Radic said on Wednesday.+ "The conference only serves to open doors," Radic said ahead of the +conference which will take place at Zagreb's Intercontinental +hotel on December 4 and 5.+ The conference will gather some 300 representatives of the +international community to view projects on the reconstruction and +development of Croatia.+ Recalling announcements in the international community about a +modest financial contribution, Radic said: "We do not expect a +lot... We will be grateful for every dollar, mark, kuna".+ A total of US$2.4 billion is necessary for the implementation of the +programme of return of displaced perso
ZAGREB, Nov 25 (Hina) - From the upcoming conference for
reconstruction of development, Croatia expects the start of a
process of including the international community in projects of
reconstruction of our country, Croatian reconstruction and
Development Minister Jure Radic said on Wednesday.
"The conference only serves to open doors," Radic said ahead of the
conference which will take place at Zagreb's Intercontinental
hotel on December 4 and 5.
The conference will gather some 300 representatives of the
international community to view projects on the reconstruction and
development of Croatia.
Recalling announcements in the international community about a
modest financial contribution, Radic said: "We do not expect a
lot... We will be grateful for every dollar, mark, kuna".
A total of US$2.4 billion is necessary for the implementation of the
programme of return of displaced persons and reconstruction, of
which Croatia has set aside about US$0.5 billion from its budget
next year.
"I will personally be satisfied with any result of the conference
because it is a sign of an organised presence of the international
community in this affair," Radic said.
At a news conference in Zagreb, Radic presented projects which will
be offered at the conference, including projects of reconstruction
of homes, family enterprises, agricultural projects, 101 mine
clearing projects, projects of infrastructure reconstruction in
urban areas (196 of them), and projects of regional importance,
such as the reconstruction of the water supply system in eastern
Slavonia or the Danube-Sava channel.
The projects will be open for donations, investments or credits.
The state would participate in these projects by paying the Value
Added Tax and customs tariffs, and the state could also participate
by increasing budgetary resources for certain reconstruction
projects.
The programme of reconstruction and return could technically be
implemented in two years, but it is expected to last five years.
Croatia has so far invested about US$2.4 billion into
reconstruction and return, while international assistance only
made up two per cent of the amount.
Radic is on Wednesday to submit to the Article 11 Commission
(ambassadors of countries of the Contact Group and EU in charge of
monitoring the implementation of the Erdut Agreement), a new
binding order for the implementation of the programme of
reconstruction and return which, according to Radic, solves all
criticisms by the international community, which were to be solved
by the tart of the conference.
(hina) lml mm