The draft charter is in accordance with the government's documents, and therefore the implementation of the Economic Recovery Programme must go on, the premier said after the Council's session.

In this context she called for courage, particularly in decision-making, adding that the first good opportunity would be the planned adoption of amendments to the law on pension insurance.

Kosor said she would definitely sign the charter in her capacity as prime minister and president of the Croatian Democratic Union party.

National Competitiveness Council (NVK) chairman Ivica Mudrinic said the Council would continue talks with trade unions, political parties, religious communities and other policy-makers in the Croatian society about the document.

He added that the charter should be signed within 60 days after those talks.

Last week, the Council notified President Ivo Josipovic about the charter on national development in the next 15 years.

PM Kosor today dismissed an article from the Jutarnji List daily saying that employers were asking for a meeting with her in vain and that the government was blocking projects worth EUR 3 billion.

Kosor branded the article as an example of "scandalous treatment of everything that the government is doing".

She said that she was constantly in touch with Croatian Employers' Association members.

Kosor also said that the government had detected the most frequent obstacles to investments.