ZAGREB, CROATIA –

- Congratulations to the selector, coach, captain and all the players for an excellent line of matches and victories. This is great promotion of Croatia in the world. I wish them success in the semi-finals, and then in the final, of course – said Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, who paid a visit to the Croatian handball team together with deputy PM Jadranka Kosor and Croatian Finance Minister Ivan Suker.

“We made the right call”

- I would like to congratulate the Croatian Handball Association as well, which excellently organised the World Handball Championship. Seeing how the government has secured the preconditions for the championship, together with the cities, by constructing the sports halls, I can now say that we have made the right call – Sanader said.

On behalf of the national team, the premier and his associates were welcomed by selector Lino Cervar, captain Petar Metlicic, Slavko Goluza and Ivano Balic. The team was honoured with the arrival of the state top.

- We are honoured with the arrival of the state top. This is yet another sign of respect for this generation of Croatian handball players, which has done a lot to promote handball and Croatia. I promise the premier that we will do our best in the upcoming matches which bring medals – selector Lino Cervar said.