The new division means more money for Croatia and experiences from all over Europe show that regions benefit from strong cities, that without strong cities there are no strong regions, she told a press conference at the end of her first visit.
After the new division saw four counties joined with Zagreb, there have been claims that due to the capital's wealth they will receive less money from European funds. Varazdin County intended to hold a referendum on the matter but it was scrapped as it would have been against the constitution.
This division, which links Zagreb with the surrounding region, enables us, when Croatia joins the EU, to give higher funds to Croatia than if Zagreb had remained separate from that part of the state, and this is why we see this idea as very positive, Huebner said.
If it wants a different division of regions, Croatia may demand it three years before the next European budget planned for 2014, she said, but underlined that she would not advise this as many benefits would be lost. She added that one could directly cooperate with the regions and give them special attention.
During her visit, Huebner met President Stjepan Mesic, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, Transport and Development Minister Bozidar Kalmeta, and ambassadors accredited in Croatia.
I came to Croatia not only because it is beautiful, but also because of the hope that we shall open negotiations on chapter 22 on regional policy, and in all talks we spoke about the details that have to be met to achieve that goal, said the commissioner.
She said Croatia was the only country negotiating EU membership that is implementing the ISPA (Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-accession) programme. She described it as very important as it built Croatia's capability to carry out a regional policy in line with EU standards once it joins the Union.
Huebner went on to say that all talks also addressed issues related to preparations for the future, notably how it was necessary to invest in the state administration.
Institutions and the state service have to be reinforced with good people so that they can become a firm support of the system, she said.
Croatia now has certain money from the pre-accession funds, but once it joins the EU the amounts will be several times higher and only qualified institutions will be able to manage them properly, said Huebner, saying it was necessary to increase the number of people in the administration, train and appropriately pay them.
Asked when negotiations on policy chapter 22 could begin, in a day, a week or a month, Huebner declined to give a direct answer, saying that everything depended on the action plan the government was supposed to submit by July, with goals and activities it intends to take so that regional policy could function in the future, notably the division of various roles during and after the negotiating process.
Earlier today, Huebner also met members of the parliamentary committee on local and regional self-government and of the national committee monitoring Croatia's accession negotiations with the EU.