Speaking at a meeting of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) branch in Zagreb on Friday evening, Prime Minister and HDZ leader Jadranka Kosor said one of the most important tasks of her government were investment projects whose implementation, she said, would require "refreshment" of the government.
She said that 30 big investment projects were expected to be implemented next year, which could additionally increase the projected GDP growth of 1.5 percent.
"We will also refresh the government so that by April next year we could say that something concrete is being done in that regard," she said.
Speaking of the government's efforts to attract investments, she said that her official visit to Egypt earlier this week was very successful and that 22 Croatian companies agreed new deals there. "Contracts have not been signed, but projects are being negotiated," she said.
She went on to say that the European Commission too had confirmed indicators showing that Croatia was on the way to overcoming the crisis, citing figures on the growth of GDP in the third quarter of this year.
"Those figures are not spectacular, but they aren't unimportant either," Kosor said.
She said that in the first ten months of 2010 exports had gone up 16 percent against the same period of last year. "In October this year exports were 35.6 percent higher than in October 2009," the PM said, underlining the growth of exports in the wood-processing industry of 12 percent and a 10-percent increase in furniture export.
During her hour-long address to members of the HDZ's Zagreb branch, the PM also recapitulated her Cabinet's activities this year, saying that economic recovery, the fight against corruption and the completion of Croatia's EU entry talks would continue to form the basis of her government's work in 2011, an election year.
"Parliamentary elections will be held in late 2011, by which time we expect the economy to start growing and the EU membership talks to be completed," Kosor said, adding that she was confident that voters would recognise it.
Kosor also commented on what she described as visible nervousness among opposition parties. "Twice this year they unsuccessfully tried to topple us in the parliament - once with a vote of no confidence in the government and the other time when the 2011 budget was put to the vote," Kosor said, adding that the Opposition's lack of success proved a lack of strength, concrete programmes and vision.
Speaking of her government's work, she particularly underlined the decision to freeze budget spending in 2011, but noted that salaries and pensions would not be touched.
The working meeting of the local HDZ branch was opened by its president Gordan Jandrokovic, who said that the HDZ in Zagreb fully supported the government's fight against corruption, its programme for economic recovery and its plan to complete the EU membership talks.
He also said that his party branch was carefully following developments in the City of Zagreb and announcements of an early election in the city.
"We are ready for the election, but we believe that both a new mayor and a new City Assembly should be elected. We don't want all responsibility to be shifted to the mayor," he said.
