Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-10-06-Speech-5-017"
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"en.20001006.1.5-017"2
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". – I am grateful, on behalf of the Commission, to Mr Seppänen for his report relating to the proposal to extend the existing Community guarantee for European Investment Bank lending outside the Union to cover interventions in Croatia. As the House will know and as has been remarked again this morning, the parliamentary and presidential elections early this year resulted in the change of government in Croatia and brought a new political climate. We celebrate that and we act as a Community to support it.
But I cannot let this debate pass without referring to another part of former Yugoslavia which is beginning the century with hope and the prospect of freedom. I am speaking of the glorious revolution taking place now in Serbia, thanks to the courage of the Serbian people and their insistence on democracy.
The House will know that the Commission has made it crystal clear that European Union sanctions will stop with the advent of democratic government in Serbia. When it appears that Milosevic has fled and the will of the people has prevailed, we hope that action to establish normal relations and partnership between Serbia and this Union of democracies will only be days away.
Meanwhile the new government in Croatia is clearly demonstrating its serious commitment to putting that country on a secure democratic path and to implementing the political and economic reforms necessary to adhere to the conditions of the European Union stabilisation and association process for the western Balkans. Taking account of those advances last May, the Commission produced a positive feasibility report on the opening of negotiations for a stabilisation and association agreement with Croatia and on 19 July recommended opening negotiations. This constitutes a major step forward in EU-Croatia bilateral relations. The Commission hopes that a decision can be taken in November so that negotiations can start without too much delay.
It is also essential for the Community to provide appropriate financial support for Croatia. The resumption of EIB lending is intended to assist the country's investment activities in infrastructure and private sector development. The new Croatian leadership clearly needs dependable and sustained backing to pursue demanding reforms. The proposal before the House would cover up to EUR 250 million of lending over the next four years. As Mr Purvis has just said – and I fully acknowledge – that must be regarded as part of a process of normalisation, stabilisation and progress that extends over many years.
The rapporteur has not proposed any amendments. I therefore thank him and the House for supporting this useful and progressive proposal as an investment in stable democracy in yet another part of our continent."@en1
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