Croatian Foreign Minister Miomir Žužul paid today a working visit to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, where he talked with Luxembourg Foreign Minister Lydie Polfer about the future steps in Croatia's approaching the EU membership, bilateral co-operation, situation in the region, and a positive and stimulating effect Croatia's membership might have on other countries in the region
Expressing her hope that Croatia will enter the EU soon, Minister Polfer said that Luxembourg wholeheartedly supports Croatia in its efforts, adding that Luxembourg will help Croatia in technical preparations before and during the Luxembourg presidency of the EU in the first half of the 2005, when Croatia’s membership negotiations are expected to start.
At the end of the working meeting, the two ministers signed the Protocol on Luxembourg’s financial support in the mine clearance in Kerići-Donji Žitnici area and Šibensko-Kninska county, worth 143,000 Euro.
The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is ready to support Croatia through the recently launched pre-accession programs designed for the training of Croatian administration officials for the purposes of better preparing for the EU membership negotiations. These programs are sponsored by Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will be conducted by the European Institute of Public Administration. The carrier of the programs in Croatia will be the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry for European Integrations, co-ordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is necessary to emphasise the importance of this pre-accession funds, that Slovakia and Bulgaria are already receiving, and that is available since February to Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria and Macedonia as well. Co-operation will continue in the training of Croatian experts in the field of finance and banking through the Luxembourg Agency for Transfer of Financial Technology (ATTF).
Minister Žužul expressed his appreciation of Luxembourg’s support, especially in the clearing of mines, where there has been continuous co-operation and support.
Press releases
