Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said today that only an economic programme which will enable this country to live off its own income and not indebtedness and sale of property which was created by the pervious generations is acceptable for Croatia.

-We need a strategy directed at increasing production, especially for export, and decreasing unemployment- said Croatian President Mesic at the opening of 83^rd Autumn International Zagreb Fair where 1,693 exhibitors from 49 countries will be presented, and Slovenia is the partner country.

-A strategy that will finally enable us to start living from our own income and not because of indebtedness and sale of property includes two arrangements  a  political one, which would commit all parties to, if they obtain power, continue implementing the development plan, and a social one, which should ensure social peace and this arrangement must be based on social justice  Mesic pointed out.

Croatia can live off its own income

He pointed our, when talking about the upcoming parliamentary elections, that, in stead of big issues of national survival, today the most important issues are economic ones. Reminding that he has not supported a party, but programmes, he expressed his view of the economic programme in his speech which would present a party as a good candidate and the opinion on the bottom line which must not be crossed.

-When it comes to economy, I only find a programme that will enable Croatia to start living off its own income an acceptable one- he said. President Mesic warned of a high foreign debt  according to the Central Croatian Bank (HNB), indebtedness increased by 230 million euro per month during the past 7 years. Mesic assessed that living off indebtedness and spending money obtained by selling property has been a constant in Croatia for the past few years.

Croatia needs people that will solve problems

In relation to the upcoming elections, Mesic told political parties to change their personnel policy, that experts and highly moral people need to run the country and that experienced experts should not be dismissed in administration just because to open posts for party members.

He pointed out that state administration needs to become significantly more efficient, that development agencies must have a greater role and that money must not be the only motive in further privatisation processes, but company development and maintaining employment above all-

-People who will keep saying everything is alright must not be in key positions, so that existing problems cannot be solved. Croatia needs people who will solve problems and enable faster development- President Mesic concluded.