(ANSA) - BRUSSELS - The importance of developing in Croatia, Slovenia and in the rest of the Balkan region a social network, especially in the sectors of health and education was the focus of a conference held today in Zagreb by the European Investment Bank (EIB). ''The availability of high quality services in the fields of health and education is crucial to citizens' well-being and for the improvement of their daily living standards'', said the EIB Vice-President Dario Scannapieco, responsible for the activities in the Balkan region. ''Today's meeting - he added - has achieved its goal: to bring to the attention of the public and private sectors and community business the different financial options which are made available by the EIB, in order to improve the social infrastructure''. The conference held in Zagreb, the EIB reported in a statement, was attended by experts, scholars, government officials, representatives of industry and society.

Among the issues on the table is the migrant crisis, which is crucial to all Balkan countries.