Addressing the meeting, Maritime Affairs Minister Bozidar Kalmeta said the Croatian maritime fleet was being upgraded at an unprecedented pace in the last 20 years and that as a result the competitiveness of Croatian shipping companies was increasing.
"That is how Croatia is preparing for EU entry," he said, announcing investments in the ports of Rijeka, Zadar, Split, Sibenik, Ploce and Dubrovnik.
Since Croatian ships sail under foreign flags and many Croatian seamen were not covered by the Croatian labour and social welfare system, we have decided to amend maritime legislation to ensure that Croatia has the same conditions as other maritime countries, the minister said.
State Secretary for Maritime Affairs Branko Bacic spoke of the adjustment of Croatian laws to the acquis communautaire. He called on business people in the shipping sector to design projects that would make it possible for them to apply for financial assistance from EU funds.