The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds Branko Grčić stated today ahead of the Government session that indicators suggest that the situation in the economy is improving and that the expenditure side of the budget is under control.
“What will happen by the end of the year will determine the whole of this year. We will see if the turnaround that everyone expects will occur,” Grčić told reporters.
He assessed that autumn will be difficult in terms of maintaining the budget.
“We have clearly stated that we will keep the expenditure side under control, while the revenue side depends on the rate of economic growth – whether we will stop the decline in GDP and ensure the realization of planned revenues,” Grčić said. He noted that there are also a number of other “technical problems,” such as the collection of VAT on imported goods, which has been treated differently since entering the EU.
The Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure Siniša Hajdaš Dončić assessed that a “great economic leap” has been made in his department and that the restructuring plans for Croatian Railways are being realized, along with the partial privatization of companies that are not core activities, as well as Croatian Post and Croatian Highways.
“In one year, more has been done than in the past twenty,” he assessed, expressing hope that by the end of the year the first round of concessionaire selection for the management of Croatian Highways will be completed. This, he said, would reduce indebtedness at once and create a positive economic climate.
