The two ministers discussed the financing of highway construction in Croatia, cooperation in the reconstruction of railway infrastructure, the use of Rijeka and Ploce seaports, and tourism development.
The Rijeka port and HZ are interested in transporting containers with car parts to the Hyundai Kia factory in Slovakia and the ministry will help them win that job, Kalmeta said.
He added that the ports in Koper, Slovenia, and Hamburg, Germany, were also competing for the job and that the Slovak minister would visit the port in Rijeka on Friday to become acquainted with its potential.
Prokopovic said that the car industry in Slovakia was expected to produce around 900,000 cars annually by the end of 2008, which he said would open business opportunities for Croatian ports.
At the beginning of April, HZ representatives will visit Slovakia to present their offer, prepared in cooperation with Rijeka Port.
The Slovak minister was very interested in the Croatian model and sources of financing of highway construction, since highway construction in Slovakia is financed with budgetary funds. The two ministers also discussed the modernisation of railways and the use of EU funds for that purpose.
Prokopovic informed Kalmeta about the privatisation of cargo railway transport and airports in Slovakia, and offered his country's support and experience in the use of EU funds for the construction of infrastructure.
Minister Kalmeta said that slightly less than 200,000 Slovaks visited Croatia last year and that they accounted for slightly more than one million overnight stays. The number of Slovak tourists has been decreasing between two and eight percent over the last several years.
A task force on tourism will meet in May to discuss ways to stop the decrease in the number of Slovak arrivals, Kalmeta said.