Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic received a delegation of the European Investment Bank (EIB), headed by EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwinska, in Government House on Wednesday, the government said in a press release.

The Prime Minister thanked the EIB for its continued financial support to numerous projects in Croatia and expressed his satisfaction with the excellent cooperation over the years.

The total amount of loans to the public and private sectors over the past 20 years exceeds €7 billion, which shows the exceptional significance of the EIB for Croatia, the government said.

Plenkovic also thanked the EIB for its donation for earthquake victims in the central Croatian Sisak-Moslavina county, which was used to obtain containers for temporary accommodation.

The talks also focused on the economic consequences caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Plenkovic presented the government’s activities and measures in the fight against the pandemic and its economic and social implications.

Recalling the significance of European funds that will be available for Croatia in the coming period, the Prime Minister noted the government’s priorities in implementing reforms and in investments from the Recovery Plan to facilitate economic development.

Czerwinska stressed EIB’s support to Croatia in utilising the opportunities offered by EU funds and further cooperation with the EIB to attract investments in projects in the areaa of energy, the fight against climate change and economic sustainability. She underscored the ambitious plans and efforts that EIB, as the European Union’s climate bank, invests in implementing the European Green Deal.

The Prime Minister presented the next steps towards Croatia’s membership in the euro area at the start of 2023.

Czerwinska said that the EIB is continuing to offer support to the Croatian government, particularly in strengthening the competitiveness and resilience of the Croatian economy, SMEs, as well as in creating jobs and launching investments.

Finance Minister Zdravko Maric and the head of the EIB’s Zagreb office, Anton Kovacev, also attended the meeting with EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwinska.