Answering reporters' questions at a Christmas and New Year reception President Stjepan Mesic gave for state officials, the minister said that Italy was a friendly country with which Croatia wanted to continue developing relations in the spirit of friendship, as well as cooperation within the EU.
"As regards real estate, we must say that the issue of nationalised property of the esuli and optants has been settled with the Osimo and Rome accords. It is our position that the existing agreements should be respected and Croatia is willing to pay the remaining 35 million dollars of the former Yugoslavia's debt to Italy," the minister repeated Croatia's official position, adding that Croatia expected Italy to provide the number of a bank account to repay the debt.
Commenting on Italy's request for Croatia to conclude with it the same agreement as it did with Austria, Grabar Kitarovic said the agreement with Austria referred only to citizens who had not been compensated under previous agreements, while the issue of nationalised property had been settled with Italy through the said accords.
Speaking of access to the real estate market, Grabar Kitarovic said that under its Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU, Croatia was applying its national legislation on the sale of real estate to foreign nationals.
"As regards physical persons, the principle of reciprocity is in force," the minister said.
"The principle of reciprocity applies to all countries, including Italy," she said, adding that Croatia had requested evidence from Italy on conditions under which Croatian citizens can buy real estate in Italy, but that it had not received any response yet.
The Italian Foreign Ministry stated on Monday that Zagreb's treatment of Italian nationals, regarding access to the Croatian real estate market, was discriminating and contrary to EU principles, and announced that it would act accordingly in talks on Croatia's EU entry.
During the talks between the EU and Croatia, Italy will take into account Zagreb's conduct towards Italians regarding the real estate market, which now it considers discriminating and unacceptable, the spokesman for the Italian Foreign Ministry, Pasquale Terracciano, said.
Terraciano made the statement after the minister in charge of relations with the parliament, Carlo Giovanardi, said in Trieste that Croatia's admission to the EU would be blocked until the country signed an agreement with Italy, similar to the one it signed with Vienna.