The President of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) Ivan Jakovčić stated at a press conference on Sunday that Croatia is in complete recession with no indications that it can soon recover.
According to him, the "cataclysmic statements" that the country will be in this crisis for ten years are exaggerated, but he believes that the crisis will last throughout 2009 with certain reflections in 2010 and 2011, when, according to him, Croatia is expected to enter the European Union.
"IDS expects the Government and other relevant institutions in the country to adopt a clear package of measures that would include strengthening local and regional self-government. The Government and ministries cannot do everything alone, and Istria is the best example where the engagement of regional agencies injected hundreds of millions of kuna into the economy and opened thousands of new jobs," emphasized Jakovčić, adding that it is precisely the strengthening of local and regional self-government that can help the Government in addressing this problem.
He believes that cities, municipalities, and counties can largely take responsibility for small and medium-sized enterprises and crafts, while the state must take responsibility for large companies, especially those in state ownership. Therefore, he announced that IDS will present its package of measures at the county, municipality, and city level within two weeks as assistance to the Istrian economy. "We expected the Government to respond more quickly with appropriate economic measures. That did not happen, and we cannot wait; we want to create opportunities with which we will try to help the Istrian economy," said the president of IDS, assessing the Government’s establishment of an economic council as a good move, but insufficient.
Commenting on the recent case in which the company "Rockwool Adriatic" is pressuring Croatia through the European Union regarding its stone wool factory in Pićan in the Labin area, Jakovčić dismissed the possibility that such pressures could bear fruit. "If that is a problem, the European Union can wait, but the health of our citizens and a clean environment cannot wait," said Ivan Jakovčić, adding that IDS will organize and finance independent measurements through the structures of the county where this party holds power and will request the preparation of a new or revision of the existing Environmental Impact Study because, as he stated, "there are too many doubts that this Study did not fully take into account all the facts."
"IDS and the Istrian County will not stop even if Rockwool receives a building permit as long as the factory does not operate properly," concluded Ivan Jakovčić. Responding to a journalist’s question, he assessed the pre-election program of the Citizens’ Association "Ladonja-alliance for a better Istria," which was presented yesterday in Poreč, as a "copy of what IDS has been doing for almost two decades.""Ladonja was obviously established only for the affirmation of Plinio Cuccurina. That is legitimate, it can be done, but it must also be said," stated Jakovčić. (H)