EU ambassador, Croatian minister on management of EU funds

Zagreb, May 16 2012 - Minister Hajdaš Dončić has pointed out the importance of use of the pre-accession IPA found through which the significant progress has been made in the Transport sector, and he also introduced the EU Delegation with the status and progress of all projects through the Transport component 'III-A'

The head of the Delegation of the European Union to Croatia, Paul Vandoren, and the Croatian Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure, Sinisa Hajdas Doncic, agreed on Wednesday that the ministry should strengthen administrative capacities so as to improve the absorption of EU funds in the transport sector.

Vandoren and Hajdas Doncic met officially for the first time to discuss Croatia's progress in managing present and future EU funds. They also talked about preparations for and implementation of transport projects in Croatia.

The European Commission entirely supports Croatia's efforts to adopt a comprehensive national transport strategy, Vandoren said, adding that the EC allocated EUR 1.53 million from the IPA fund for the technical preparation of the national strategy.

He added the EC would continue to help Croatia in successfully using structural and cohesion funds, the EU said in a statement.

Zagreb, may 16 2012 - with the Head of the EU Delegation in Croatia Vandoren at a work meeting with the Minister Hajdas Doncic also participated Richard Weight, Head of Operations in the Project 2 - The infrastructure, agriculture, regional development, cross-border cooperation, environment and energy, at the EU Delegation in Croatia and Zoran Kostic task manager for monitoring the implementation of projects under IPA components III-A, EUD in Croatia

(Hina)