ZAGREB/DUBLIN, March 28 (Hina) - Croatia cannot fully repeat Ireland's economic success, but can learn from it. Its precondition was a general social consensus in which all thought only about the benefits for Ireland instead of
personal selfish political gain, Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula told Hina in a telephone conversation from Dublin, Wednesday. During his two-day official visit to Ireland, which ended Wednesday, Picula held talks with his counterpart Brian Cowen, speaker of the Irish Parliament and other senior political and economy officials. Speaking about the Irish economic miracle, Picula said "we should not bear illusions that Croatia can repeat the process in full, as there is no need for that, but some Irish solutions can certainly inspire us". The Irish economy boom was in great affected by the fact that the country opened its doors to foreign capital, and within the EU it is kn
ZAGREB/DUBLIN, March 28 (Hina) - Croatia cannot fully repeat
Ireland's economic success, but can learn from it. Its precondition
was a general social consensus in which all thought only about the
benefits for Ireland instead of personal selfish political gain,
Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula told Hina in a telephone
conversation from Dublin, Wednesday.
During his two-day official visit to Ireland, which ended
Wednesday, Picula held talks with his counterpart Brian Cowen,
speaker of the Irish Parliament and other senior political and
economy officials.
Speaking about the Irish economic miracle, Picula said "we should
not bear illusions that Croatia can repeat the process in full, as
there is no need for that, but some Irish solutions can certainly
inspire us".
The Irish economy boom was in great affected by the fact that the
country opened its doors to foreign capital, and within the EU it is
known as a country with a very low tax rate.
Croatia's Foreign Minister warned that the Irish economic success
did not happen over night, but was "a vision which was affirmed
almost a quarter of a century". Only a little more than a year has
passed since the establishment of the present government
authorities in Croatia, he recalled.
"However, this is no alibi for us not to think bout what the Irish
have done in the past period," Picula stressed.
The Irish have offered to in the future be more active in the
development of economic and political events in Croatia, and to
provide more and various assistance during our path to the EU, he
asserted.
During all his talks in Dublin today, Picula's Irish collocutors
showed great interest in the situation in the region.
They were especially interested in the ways in which Croatia can
contribute to the fight against illegal migrations and trafficking
with illegal substances.
Picula said Croatia was prepared for full cooperation to solve this
problem, but also warned that, considering its limited budgetary
resources and a very stretched land border with two emissive areas
of illegal migrations, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Yugoslavia, Croatia
was in no shape to handle the problem on its own.
The Irish side offered guarantees to advocate within the EU that
Croatia be helped in the fight, Picula said.
The Irish side commended Croatia on its foreign policy and gave it
its full support, Picula said, adding, however, that bilateral
cooperation has so far been utterly insufficient, which is proven
by the fact that not one economic agreement has been signed between
the two countries.
"We don't even have a basic agreement package, but we have now drawn
closer to signing two -- the agreement on air traffic and on
avoiding double taxation," the Croatian Foreign Minister said. He
added the present political circumstances are such as to have this
cooperation confirmed in many more fields than previously.
The Irish expressed readiness to improve cooperation with Croatia
in the fields of finances, energy supply, and especially tourism,
they are interested in the privatisation process, and even direct
investments into Croatia are not ruled out, Picula said.
He said the Irish side was very satisfied with the fact that a
Croatian embassy will be opened in Dublin in May, during a visit by
Croatia's Premier Ivica Racan.
(hina) lml