The conference will focus on the exchange of experience in maintaining economic growth despite foreign trade deficit, high unemployment and high labour prices.
The conference will be informed about measures taken by Southeast European countries to stabilise their economies and it will also include bilateral meetings on possibilities of economic cooperation.
Opening the event, Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader outlined reforms and measures the government has been implementing to create a favourable investment climate in Croatia. The opening of membership talks with the EU has already had a positive impact on Croatia, Sanader said, adding that this was evidenced by increased trade on domestic stock markets and an increased interest among foreign investors.
The PM announced the launching of a campaign to promote the Croatian tax system, which he said was very good and attractive to investors.
Albanian President Alfred Moisiu said his country had been implementing reforms to remove administrative obstacles to foreign investments.
Speaking about his meeting with the Albanian president in Cavtat, PM Sanader said it focused on bilateral relations and the EU. "We agreed that there are no outstanding issues between Croatia and Albania," said Sanader, who accepted Moisiu's invitation to pay an official visit to Albania.
The former Hungarian prime minister and leader of the Fidesz party, Viktor Orban, said that Croatia was better prepared for the EU than Bulgaria and Romania, which are to join the EU in 2007.
He added that Croatia was also better prepared than some EU countries.
The EU's attitude towards Croatia is politically incorrect and economically unreasonable, Orban said.