Sanader was one of the speakers at the opening of the summit which has become Europe"s most important dialogue between business leaders and policy makers. Organisers of the summit expect this year's event to attract over 2,500 business people.
"This is an excellent opportunity for the presentation of Croatia's economy, notably to those who know Croatia only as a nice tourist destination," Sanader told reporters.
He said that in certain segments of Croatian society there was caution towards or fear of foreign investors, stressing that any investment, domestic or foreign, created new jobs and that his government would always help entrepreneurs to feel welcome in Croatia. We must stop with prejudices stemming from bad privatisation processes in the 1990s and I believe it is time to stop looking at entrepreneurs as thieves but as people who create new values, the Croatian PM said.
Also speaking at the opening were Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, European Parliament President Hans-Gert Poettering who addressed those present via video link, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin and European Economic and Social Committee President Dimitris Dimitriadis.
All speakers focused on the coming celebration of the 50th anniversary of the European Union that will be marked by the adoption of a declaration of the EU summit in Berlin.
In his speech, Belgian PM Verhofstadt mentioned Croatia as the 28th member of the EU. PM Sanader said that during short bilateral talks he invited Verhofsdadt to visit Croatia, which the Belgian PM accepted. "During our talks, he promised he would keep supporting Croatia and accepted my invitation to visit our country," Sanader told reporters.
In his speech at the opening of the summit, Sanader said Croatia was not just a pretty vacation destination, but also a place for investments. He said the Croatian government was doing everything to create a favorable investment climate, underlining the introduction of a simplified procedure for the registration of companies through the one-stop shop system, the land register reform, the digitalisation of public administration, and the continuation of the policy oriented towards macroeconomic stability.
The Croatian PM, his deputy Damir Polancec, state secretary Martina Dalic, president of the National Competitiveness Council Darko Marinec and Croatian Employers' Association president Emil Tedeschi, took part in a presentation entitled "Croatia, the 28th member of the EU - How to Invest in Croatia".
Sanader said that Croatia's joining NATO and the European Union would help the country's economic growth, adding that Croatia planned to join the bloc in 2009 and expected to receive an invitation to join NATO in 2008.
At the end of his visit, Sanader opened Croatia's stand at which visitors could be acquainted with investment opportunities in Croatia.