Prime Minister Milanovic promises financial aid for projects involving Bosnian Croats

"We cannot prevent migrations. We will help as much as we can financially for the preservation, not of identity, because these people have an identity and no one needs to help them in that because they know who they are and what their values are. We can help finance some facilities and programmes with emphasis that these be specific and that funds are not dispersed over thousands of minor matters but on visible things," Croatia's prime minister said in Tomislavgrad where he met with Mayor Ivan Vukadin.

He added that the incumbent government was not doing this for the sake of elections or to score political points. He said his hosts had informed him of the difficult economic situation and of the high number of the unemployed.

"The impression is that it is worse than it looks. This area and that around Livno indeed look advanced. That is obviously a combination of work here and some savings. But there is a large number of the unemployed, at least official figures say so," Milanovic said.

Earlier he visited the Franciscan museum outside the nearby town of Livno which was built with the assistance of the Croatian government and which contains a wealthy archaeological, ethnographic and sacral treasure, a library and a gallery.

Later he visited a local dairy and was informed that after Croatia joined the European Union the dairy was faced with the problem with exports of its products as Bosnian authorities had not fulfilled all the necessary conditions. They asked the prime minister to help them in resolving the dispute because around 1,000 cooperatives and even more workers depended on the dairy.

In the town of Rama, Milanovic visited an elderly people's home that was also co-financed by the Croatian government.

Milanovic is expected to visit Kupres on Friday evening where the Croatian government co-financed the construction of an elderly people's home. Later in the evening Milanovic is expected to join his Bosnian counterpart, Council of Ministers Chairman Vjekoslav Bevanda, for an informal dinner.

The prime minister will continue his visit on Saturday and is expected to visit the towns of Bugojno, Uskoplje, Kraljeva Sutjeska and Bobovac where he is to meet with representatives of the Croatian communities and local authorities.

(Hina)