Ante Zigman of the Finance Ministry said that since 2001 Croatia had successfully used all pre-accession funds, including funds for upgrading waste dumps, building facilities for collecting waste, railway lines etc. A total of EUR25 million has been secured for the SAPARD program for agriculture and rural development and procedure is under way to allocate those funds, Zigman said, calling on farmers to apply for funds.
Social Democrat Mato Arlovic said he would support the law, stating that state institutions, professional organisations and agencies should become involved in the implementation of the projects.
"We expect miracles, but why are we selling illusions," said Ivan Kolar of the Peasant Party (HSS), claiming that Croatia was not ready for using the funds.
He objected to the fact that the agreement had not been submitted to parliament for ratification in October 2006, when it was signed, or at least during the last parliamentary sitting in 2006.
Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) said that Croatia needed the funds, but that it was a question if they would be distributed in a fair manner, while Pero Kovacevic of the Party of Rights (HSP) said that there was a long way from the possibility of using the funds to actually withdrawing them.
Deputies of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) said that Croatia must not allow to be left without those funds.