May 21 (SeeNews) - Croatia should enhance the resilience of its health system, encourage the balanced geographical distribution of health workers and facilities on its territory and promote investment in e-health, the European Commission (EC) said.
"Although access to health care is generally good in Croatia, unmet medical needs due to distance are amongst the highest in the Union. A more balanced geographical distribution of health workers and facilities would allow easier access to health services," the Commission said on Wednesday in its 2020 country-specific recommendations on Croatia, which are part of the European Semester Spring 2020 Package.
It added that there is scope for improvement in the division of responsibility for health care facilities between the central government and county authorities.
The EC urged the Croatian government to strengthen labour market measures and institutions in order to facilitate more adequate unemployment benefits and minimum income schemes, as well as to promote the acquisition of skills and to raise access to digital infrastructure and services.
Amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis, Croatia needs also to maintain the current measures that provide liquidity to small and medium-sized enterprises and the self-employed, as well as to further reduce parafiscal charges and regulative restrictions on the goods and services market.
Promoting public and private investment projects will additionally help foster the country's economic recovery.
"Focus investment on the green and digital transition, in particular on environmental infrastructure, sustainable urban and rail transport, clean and efficient production and use of energy and highspeed broadband," the EC said.
It added that the efficiency of the judicial system should be improved, along with the efficiency and capacity of the public administration to design and implement public projects and policies at central and local levels.
Earlier in May, the EC said it expects that Croatia's GDP will drop 9.1% this year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.