Government - Full Activation of EFPZ on 1 January 2008 at the Latest

The activation of the Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone (EFPZ) for all European Union member states will start on 1 January 2008 at the latest, says the proposal which the Croatian government moved to parliament on Thursday.

By amending the decision on EFPZ we are strengthening our fishing fleet and we most definitely will not harm Croatia's interests in the process of joining the European Union, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said at a government session today.

"This cannot nor will harm Croatia," Sanader said announcing that talks about the activation of the EFPZ would be held with EU member states through dialogue and consultation.

Commenting on proposals to start the full activation of EFPZ sooner, Sanader said the government's proposal enabled also that because it says that the activation should start by 1 January 2008 "at the latest".

The PM said the government tried to reach a consensus with representatives of parliamentary parties up until yesterday, adding his cabinet would try the same today.

"If a consensus can be reached, I vote for that option, but if it can't be reached, I believe that this is a good solution and that we can stand behind it," Sanader said, stressing that the decision was harmonized with representatives of fishermen.

“Also founded was a government's coordinating body for the control of internal waters and EFPZ and we can conduct a quality control over EFPZ with the existing fleet and personnel as soon as EFPZ goes into force”, said the State Secretary for the Sea, Branko Bačić.

Funds for the fleet of the Croatian Defence Ministry, the Interior Ministry and the Sea Ministry have been secured in the 2007 budget. The fleet will be able to control all 30,000 square kilometres of the sea included in EFPZ, Bačić said, reiterating that EFPZ could be activated even before 1 January 2008.

PM Sanader reiterated that some other decisions of his cabinet were aimed at improving the position of fishermen.

The government also sent to parliament amendments to the law on the crossing of the state border which will introduce the non-discrimination right for Croatian fishermen, who will be able to enter and stay the EFPZ without passport or border control within 36 hours.

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