Croatian People's Party (HNS) leader Radimir Cacic presented measures for the recovery of the national economy in the coastal city of Zadar on Wednesday, saying that economic growth would be at least six per cent if the opposition coalition won the next parliamentary election, due later this year.
That would mean creation of tens of thousands of jobs and easier repayment of government debt, Cacic said.
Cacic said that Croatia could now propose to the World Bank and European Union funds projects in four areas -- energy, tourism, infrastructure, with emphasis on railways, and water management and ecology.
Energy and tourism are commercial projects and it should not be a problem to find investors for them, whereas railway infrastructure and water management are large projects that require the know-how, competence and vision, the HNS leader said, adding that the total value of those projects was about 15 billion euros.
Croatia needs growth of 6 to 7 per cent to be able to repay interest alone, and currently the government borrows at an interest rate of about 6.75 per cent, as opposed to Slovenia where the government repays loans at 2.5 per cent interest. When this country gets "a competent government" that will gain the trust of international financial circles, interest rates will fall and consequently the cost of debt repayment will also be lower, he said.
Cacic said that during the term of the next government, from 2012 to 2016, regardless of which political bloc would form it, annual GDP growth should be at least four per cent.
Responding to questions from the press, Cacic said that one of the burning problems in Croatia was a corrupt judiciary, adding that the Office for the Prevention of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) should establish a separate department to combat corruption in the judiciary.
