ZAGREB ZAGREB, Jan 29 (Hina) - Croatian and Romanian business people on Wednesday held a forum in the Chamber of Commerce in Zagreb, in the presence of the Croatian Premier Ivica Racan and his Romanian counterpart Adrian Nastase who
was on a one-day official visit to Croatia.
ZAGREB, Jan 29 (Hina) - Croatian and Romanian business people on
Wednesday held a forum in the Chamber of Commerce in Zagreb, in the
presence of the Croatian Premier Ivica Racan and his Romanian
counterpart Adrian Nastase who was on a one-day official visit to
Croatia. #L#
The meeting of the business people from Croatia and Romania which
registered a strong growth in their trade, will make it possible for
the entrepreneurs to get insight into unused potentials for
cooperation and help create better conditions for the enhancement
of economic ties, the Romanian Premier Nastase said.
During Wednesday's forum, the Zagreb Fair (ZV) company and the
Romanian "Romexpo" firm signed a cooperation agreement which Racan
described as "a significant step" in linking the two countries.
Romanian premier pointed to the importance of Croatia's admission
into the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) and the
Croatian-Romanian agreement on free trade, which would go in force
on 1 March.
He cited the power industry, pharmaceutical industry, car
industry, food-processing industry and tourism as fields which
offered the best possibilities for an increase in the exchange of
commodities between the two countries. He also mentioned
favourable conditions and potentials which the two countries
achieved with joining Euro-Atlantic integration processes.
The Romanian official added that his country had achieved macro-
economic stability and accomplished important political goals in
2002, when it was invited to enter NATO, and was offered a stable
agenda for joining the European Union by 2007.
Premier Racan said both countries were faced with challenges of
transitional processes and emphasised the importance of Croatia's
entry to the CEFTA.
The head of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Nadan Vidosevic,
wished that the bilateral trade this year again would double as it
had been the case in 2002.
In 2001, the trade between Croatia and Romania totalled 27 million
dollars, and a year later it rose to almost $46 million, but
Croatia's exports then accounted for just $6.5 million, while the
import from Romania came to $39.5 million.
At the end of today's forum, representatives of some 60 companies
from the two countries held their separate business talks.
(hina) ms