Health and Social Welfare Minister Neven Ljubicic said at the signing ceremony in Zagreb that the loan would enable the implementation of a 799.5 million kuna project to renew a part of the hospital infrastructure, which is the biggest problem of Croatia's health system.
As much as one-fourth of medical facilities in Croatia were built in the 19th century and promotion of health care requires good infrastructure, Ljubicic said.
The project will help upgrade hospitals in Vukovar, Split, Zagreb, Lipik, Zadar and Osijek.
Tarafas commended the way Croatia was implementing projects financed by the Council of Europe Development Bank, which is mostly a social bank encouraging projects referring to health and school systems, environmental protection, protection of monuments, etc.
The Bank is negotiating with Croatian commercial banks ways to encourage the growth of small and medium enterprises and employment, Tarafas said.
Minister Suker said that the loan was very favourable, with a low interest rate, a repayment period of ten years, and a ten-year grace.
The loan conditions bear proof of Croatia's image in Europe, Suker said.
(1 EUR = 7.31 kuna)