Addressing the forum, a representative of the European Commission's Delegation to Croatia, David Hudson, said that accomplishing the goal of Croatia's entry into the European Union required concerted efforts and coordinated activities of the country's government and regions.
Hudson also pointed out the examples of Ireland and Spain that improved their economic situation upon admission to the Union.
"With admission to the EU, your problems will not be solved at once," said the Czech Ambassador to Croatia, Petr Stepanek, adding that the success of each new-comer mostly depended on the transformation of society before entry into the EU and on the degree of development of the infrastructure necessary for the efficient use of EU funds.
"With their country's admission to the EU, Croatian citizens will be given more opportunities for a better life and more prosperous future," the Czech diplomat said.
Assistant Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Andreja Gustovic-Ercegovac reiterated that Croatia had set 2009 as the year of its accession to the European bloc.
According to her, Croatia's admission to the EU did not represent a problem for the Union, either in terms of the country's size or its population.
With Croatia's entry, the territory of the EU will increase 1.3 percent and the population will grow 0.9 percent, while the Gross Domestic Product per capita will fall 0.6 percent, Gustovic-Ercegovac said.
During the economic forum, the EU Bus, a joint project of the European Commission's Delegation to Croatia, the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry, EU member-states' embassies in Croatia, and local authorities and NGOs, arrived in the town square.
Stands with leaflets about the EU and Croatia's efforts to join the bloc were installed by the bus with the purpose of informing locals about the EU and benefits of EU membership.