Croatia PM Searches for Money in Europe and World

Not only are we not giving up, but we will expand infrastructure projects in a way of offering them in concession, PM Sanader said.

ZAGREB, CROATIA – By the middle of next week, budgetary users must submit to a working group for budgetary amendments their suggestions on where and how they can save on expenses, Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said after Friday’s meeting with all ministers, state secretaries and administration managers, that is, users of the government budget.

Budgetary users were not told how much they have to save, but their suggestions will be

subsequently verified and if they are not in line with expectations, “they will have to re-take the test”, the prime minister said.

- The first thing to be done in amending the budget is to see how much budgetary users can save, because in times of the global and European crisis and the crisis in Croatia, the government and other budgetary users cannot behave as if they are expecting others to do something about it – he added.

Government trying to secure funds for the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development 

Sanader also said that he has been contacting various financial sources in Europe and the world for several days now, along with Finance Minister Ivan Suker, in order to secure funds for the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

- We must complete this job which we discussed today in order for us to be in a situation that the country can get international loans and to free economical potentials for Croatian banks – Sanader said.

Minister Suker announced that he would next week meet with economic analysts about their projections on the GDP in 2009, on the basis of which the earning part of the budget will be drawn up.

Infrastructure projects will expand 

Prime Minister Sanader reiterated that the government will not give up on infrastructure projects because they can help the economic crisis to be overcome.

- Not only are we not giving up, but we will expand infrastructure projects in a way of offering them in concession or public-private partnership to finance them and that is that one pillar that can keep a big part of the industry standing – Sanader said.