Croatia, which is due to enter the EU on 1 July 2013, has the status of observer at this conference.
"One of Croatia's aims is to be a quality user of European funds, so as to prevent a possibility that we pay more than we draw from those funds. Of each euro we get from structural funds, approximately 35 cents is what we have paid," Milanovic told Croatian reporters at the event in the Slovak capital.
"We must be more co-ordinated and offer quality projects, thus raising our GDP, and gradually approaching the category of countries net-payers, which is our goal," he added.
Milanovic said that during the negotiations on the new EU budget framework, Croatia would insist on being given the same criteria that had been applied to other newcomers as far as regarded the time frame available for the completion of projects. The time frame has so far been four years, while there are plans to reduce it to two years, while Croatia will request to be exempt from this new rule.
As for the Peljesac bridge, Milanovic said that Croatia would seek possibilities for financing this bridge construction from European funds.
According to his explanation, the Peljesac bridge should solve the issue of the territorial discontinuity of Croatia, a future EU member.
"This is about the Schengen zone and the preservation of the (Schengen) regime," he said.