CROATIAN FINANCE MINISTER SPEAKS AT EBRD'S ANNUAL ASSEMBLY

TASHKENT/ZAGREB, May 5 (Hina) - Thanks to its economic results, Croatia has reason to believe that it will become a member of the European Union in 2007. However, even now, as one of the more developed countries and members of the WTO and the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA), it is open to interested business partners, Croatian Finance Minister Mato Crkvenac said at the annual assembly of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in Uzbekistan's Tashkent on Monday. #L# Since 1993 the EBRD has invested more than one billion euros in Croatia, of which 60% has been invested in private businesses, Crkvenac said. Croatia also has a very good cooperation with other European financial institutions, such as the European Investment Bank and the Council of Europe's Development Bank and it believes that the growing trust of the financial market will help it strengthen its position in the region and attract more investors, he said. The minister especially stressed the EBRD's role in privatisation processes and development of small and medium-sized businesses. Speaking at today's plenary session of the EBRD's board of governors, Crkvenac reiterated Croatia's readiness to host the bank's annual assembly in 2005. Croatia's delegation at the Tashkent conference organised a presentation for interested investors and other business people to acquaint them with the country's economic potential and the advantages of doing business in and with Croatia, ministry spokeswoman Sanja Mardjetko Kurecic said. (hina) rml