ZAGREB, March 6 (Hina) - Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Kostovic on Thursday received the incoming European Commission special envoy for Croatia, Per Vinter.
ZAGREB, March 6 (Hina) - Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Kostovic on
Thursday received the incoming European Commission special envoy for
Croatia, Per Vinter. #L#
After the meeting, Kostovic said the talks had focused on the help
from the European Union in the reconstruction of Vukovar and the Croatian
Danubian area.
"We regard the role of the European Union and its resources as
auxiliary to our programme," Kostovic said. He added that the programme was
conducted by the Defence Ministry, which Vinter had already spoken about
with the Ministry's representatives.
It is the stance of the Croatian government that the area be
reconstructed under Croatian regulations and plans.
There had once been differences in the views if the EU and Croatian
government regarding the priorities in the reconstruction of the Croatian
Danube river region, but views had since been harmonised, Kostovic said.
"The European Union, respecting the integrity of the Croatian state,
has had to agree with the criteria and requests of the government, which it
has done," Kostovic said.
So far realised EU resources were relatively small (about 9 million
ECU), Kostovic said. He added that donor countries would possibly grant a
larger amount for the reconstruction of the Croatian Danubian area at a
conference in Zagreb on 14 March.
Vinter described the talks as very useful because the EU and the
Croatian government "are jointly interested in advancing the situation in
the Croatian region".
It was the task of the European Commission "to assist wherever
possible they can, in the development of relations between the Croatian
government and the European Union," Vinter said.
Elections in the Danubian area were Croatia's internal affair and the
role of the EU would be to assist OSCE in the observation of the elections,
he said.
"The major part of the work will come after the elections, when the
work on reconstruction and the return of displaced persons and things have
to work and then we will see what we can do from the EU side to assist with
money and other ways".
Asked how much Croatia was close to the EU, Vinter said relations were
improving every day, but added, "The question of when we can start talks for
more formalised relations, you should not be too optimistic, but we are
moving in the right direction".
Kostovic pointed out that moving towards to EU was improving in many
sectors - from cooperation in education to supervising the peace process,
adding that the peaceful reintegration of the Danubian area was a very
important factor.
"It is certain that the peaceful reintegration process and the way it
is being handled were factors which are moving us closer to Europe, which is
something all agree - from General Klein to the Council of Europe," Kostovic
said.
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