Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor presented at Thursday's government session some of the results of this year's work and wished government members and all Croatian citizens a happy and "successful 2011, with much more work, strength, optimism, determination and with more unity."
"If all that is achieved, if we achieve the goals we set ourselves as the government, I believe we can say that 2011 can be better than this year," said Kosor.
"I wish you a lot of success in your work, that the goals you set yourselves when you decided to join the government be achieved, as well as in all the plans ahead of us, primarily in the implementation of the Economic Recovery Programme," she added.
Kosor thanked the recently replaced ministers for their work in the government and wished them a lot of success as MPs.
At the last government session of 2010, Kosor said the government met 66 times this year, discussing 1,541 items and passing 1,976 acts.
She mentioned the reduction of parafiscal levies, the depoliticisation of public companies' supervisory boards, and the presentation of 30 big investment projects.
Those projects have become a reality and were one of the reasons for the recent government reshuffle, which reinforced the economic team so that in 2011, a part of those projects could come alive, said Kosor.
She recalled the adoption of a law on the seizure of illegally acquired property.
Those who acquired property in such a way will meet the biggest punishment when they realise that they will lose the property, the money and everything which made them steal, said Kosor.
She recalled the measures which resulted in economising, such as the establishment of the Public Procurement Office and the combining of public procurement, which helped to save more than HRK 70 million. She said about HRK 200 million was saved on medicines, about HRK 250 million by a nine percent cut in sick leave, and HRK 130 million by introducing card payment for blue diesel.
Public consumption has been cut by nearly HRK 3.5 billion this year by cutting public expenses and more rational work, while last year public expenses were cut by HRK 2.7 billion, Kosor said, also recalling the adoption of the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
She said 2010 had been the most fruitful year in Croatia's European Union integration process, with all negotiating chapters having been opened and 28 of them closed.
Kosor also recalled the adoption of constitutional amendments and of laws regulating the financing of political parties, which she said would show its full power at the end of 2011, when elections were due.
