The government adopted a draft law on the electricity market with the final draft of the law according to which Croatia adjusts its energy legislation to the acquis communautaire, and the goal of this law was to promote the liberalization and development of the market.
According to Economy Minister Ivan Vrdoljak, the new law creates conditions for the safe and efficient supply of electricity and contributes to market development, competitive pricing, consumer protection and environmental conservation.
The openness of the market in Vrdoljak words is made possible through the independence of the electricity transmission company whose infrastructure will be accessible to other service providers besides HEP through separation of generation and transmission of electricity.
The government also adopted the guidelines for inclusion of Croatia in the draft Regulation of the European Parliament and Council on the establishment of an instrument to connect Europe and the regulation on EU guidelines for the development of trans-European transport network. Croatia seeks inclusion in the main European networks and highways and railways from the Slovenian border to the border with Serbia (Corridor 10), highways and railways from the border with Hungary via Zagreb to Rijeka (5b corridor) and the Danube waterway (Corridor 7) with Sava waterway.
Croatia will propose the inclusion in the main highway and railway network from the border with Slovenia in Maribor to Zagreb route (corridor 10a), road route from the border with Hungary and Bosnia via Osijek to Ploce (Corridor 5c) and the Adriatic – Ionic direction.
The government also adopted a decision on the bid guarantee community (a group of banks) and gave approval to HAC for the 130 million Euros loan to finance the business plan for 2012. The loan is for five years with a repayment in one installment that is due on the fifth anniversary of the date of the signing of the loan agreement.
The government also adopted a decision on the entry of funds and approval to HPB-Invest for a debt on behalf of the Pension Fund. With this decision the Government brings a hundred million kuna into this Fund as compensation for the difference between the amount required for the payment of 6th installment of the retirement compensation by model B regular register and 5th installment by model B register of the highest and family pensions. The difference occured, in the words of Finance Minister Slavko Linic, due to falling prices of HT.
At today’s session, the Government made a decision on the approval to the City of Zagreb to take a loan from Zagreb bank of 150 million for capital investment in the construction of roads.
Source Serbia Energy Magazine
