ZAGREB ZAGREB, March 15 (Hina) - A number of independent experts and economists from the state sector, businesses and academic circles attended a seminar on ways to increase economic growth and export, organised in Zagreb on Saturday
by the Privredni Vjesnik magazine and the Konrad Adenauer foundation. The event was held under the auspices of Croatian President Stjepan Mesic.
ZAGREB, March 15 (Hina) - A number of independent experts and
economists from the state sector, businesses and academic circles
attended a seminar on ways to increase economic growth and export,
organised in Zagreb on Saturday by the Privredni Vjesnik magazine
and the Konrad Adenauer foundation. The event was held under the
auspices of Croatian President Stjepan Mesic. #L#
Participants in the event agreed that Croatia's economy was
negatively affected by a low export level and a strong growth of
imports and foreign trade deficit.
Suggesting concrete action to solve these problems, the
President's advisor on economy, Dubravko Radosevic, called on the
participants to forward an appeal to the government and the economy
ministry, urging the liberalisation of business legislation and
the establishment of industrial clusters.
Radosevic stressed the need for the adoption of a liberal law on
free zones to attract investments and the establishment of
industrial clusters, i.e. the integration of complementary
companies in the wood-processing and metal industries, which he
believes are the generators of export.
In 2001 the Croatian wood-processing industry for the first time
since 1918 saw a foreign trade deficit, exports in that branch of
industry have been stagnating for years, while imports in the last
decade increased from nine to more than US$300 million. Exports in
the wood-processing industry have an unsatisfactory structure -
the country is exporting wood and importing low-quality furniture.
A cluster in the wood-processing industry could gather companies
from the Lika, Gorski Kotar and Slavonija regions, helping re-
industrialise them, Radosevic said.
Sisak Ironworks and its new owner, Russia's Mechel company, should
be the backbone of a metal industry cluster. Along with gathering
complementary manufacturers from the Sisak region and elsewhere,
the cluster would secure new jobs in the ironworks, Radosevic
said.
Assistant Economy Minister Olgica Spevec said that the legislative
framework was being changed, a law on free zones would soon be
discussed by parliament, as would laws on technology parks and
investment stimulation.
(hina) rml