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Zagreb - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković presented the National Recovery and Resilience Plan to Parliament on Wednesday, saying that it should help Croatia overcome the present crisis.
The 80-page summary presented to Parliament contains all the important points of the 700-page document, Plenković said after opposition MPs criticised the government for not giving them the full document. He asked a state secretary to show the document to the lawmakers.
Presenting the plan, Plenković said that the coronavirus pandemic posed an unprecedented threat to public health and caused an economic crisis of proportions not seen since the Second World War.
"Overall, the corona crisis has cost Croatia HRK 32 billion (€4.3bn), which is 8.7% of GDP," the prime minister said. He also recalled two devastating earthquakes that had hit Croatia last year, causing HRK 129 billion (€17.2bn) in damage, which is 82% of the country's budget for this year.
"The Recovery and Resilience Plan should help us overcome this crisis as soon as possible. Our goal is to use this funding to boost Croatia's development," Plenković said, adding that his government wanted to translate these challenges into opportunities.
"Our aim is to keep jobs, increase employment and strengthen competitiveness, and as a member of the EU we have a historic chance to accelerate the achievement of these goals with EU funding," he said.
He said that Croatia would have access to as much as €30 billion or HRK 227 billion over the next seven years.
The National Recovery and Resilience Plan covers the following areas: the enterprise sector; public administration; judiciary and state assets; education, science and research; the labour market, social welfare, and health care; and the reconstruction of buildings damaged in the earthquakes.
"54% of the funds will be invested in the economy to increase competitiveness," Plenković said, citing investment in a green transition, energy transition, renewable energy sources, transport and traffic infrastructure, water management, and broadband infrastructure. He also mentioned investment in connectivity between local government units, science and education, and job creation.
"Although this document will be adopted by the Government, it merits public consultation," the Prime Minister said, stressing that the government was open to suggestions.
"We want this document to help Croatia continue down the path on which it was before the crisis. We want Croatia to have lower taxes, higher wages, lower unemployment and higher employment, lower public debt and no deficit, increased business activity and greater investment," Plenković said.