FILTER
Prikaži samo sadržaje koji zadovoljavaju:
objavljeni u periodu:
na jeziku:
hrvatski engleski
sadrže pojam:

PM says much has been done for regional development of Croatia in 20 yrs

Autor: mses
SIBENIK, May 24 (Hina) - In her keynote speech at the beginning of the "Regional Development Days" conference in the coastal city of Sibenik, Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor said on Tuesday that in the past 20 years of its independence Croatia had done much, notably in regional development, and she recalled that 150,000 houses, destroyed in the war, had been rebuilt and that the country had cared for one million internally displaced people and refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina, spending more than EUR 5 billion from its own budget for that purpose.

The government is currently doing its utmost to conclude the accession negotiations with the European Union by the end of June and this aim is not unattainable, Kosor told the conference organised by the Croatian ministry of regional development, forests and water management.

We have surmounted many obstacles, we are conducting a campaign against crime and corruption and strengthening the state agencies which must do their job free of any outside influence, Kosor said.

"We are investing the final efforts to join the community of European countries and we are one step before that goal," she said, describing the aim as being as important as the establishment of the independent and free Croatia 20 years ago.

Regional Development Minister Bozidar Pankretic said that it was up to the Croatian regions to develop themselves.

He said that regional policies accounted for 37 percent in EU member-states' budgets after agriculture with 42 percent.

"Croatia's entry into the EU is bringing a new way of thinking," he said adding that Croatia should be divided into three regions -- northwestern Croatia, central Croatia and Adriatic Croatia, but the development of those wholes was uneven today.

He said that more efforts should be made so as to have those regions as compact, evenly developed wholes.

Representatives of Poland, Latvia and France are to acquaint participants in the conference with experiences of their countries in regional development and in preparations for drawing money from EU funds.

After the beginning of the conference, PM Kosor told reporters that she had not yet seen any hindrance on the road towards Croatia's admission to the EU and that she did not expect any in the future.

"Croatia is unstoppable on that road," Kosor said.

(Hina) ms

An unhandled error has occurred. Reload 🗙