ZAGREB, January 30, 2019 - Citizens assess EU membership as positive for Croatia but it is necessary to inform them much more and present tangible results of the EU's work, according to the conclusions of the first Europanel, a Croatian Radio project which will address current EU-related topics.
"Citizens are very aware of how many positive things are happening in the European Parliament, notably for some tangible issues, such as consumer protection and the origin and quality of food," said the head of the EP's Croatian office, Violeta Simeonova.
Participants in the panel presented some of the most important topics related to the EU's work and Croatia's upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU, underlining the importance of absorbing European funds for projects in Croatia.
Croatian Chamber of Commerce president Luka Burilović said it was first necessary to simplify financing procedures, claiming that, because of them, only 20% of the funds envisaged had been paid out so far.
The prime minister's advisor Karlo Ressler said the Pelješac Bridge would be one of Croatia's biggest projects and a symbol of its EU membership. "We expect further progress regarding the LNG terminal too."
The head of the European Commission Representation to Croatia, Branko Baričević, said the EU was a kind of global leader and a model for other countries which must be good and open to all. "Millions of people wish to come to the EU, not because it's bad and difficult here, but because it's good. We have values which we defend and which we believe are the most valuable and best. We have a social model which doesn't exist anywhere else. There are many things of which we can indeed be proud."
Europanels will be held every month.
More news on Croatia and the EU can be found in the Politics section.
