ZAGREB ZAGREB, Oct 16 (Hina) - One quarter of foreign investments in Croatia refer to small and medium-sized businesses, which account for more than one half of GDP, two thirds of employees in the economy sector, and 25-30 percent of
all exports, which keep growing, Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan said opening the first international conference on small businesses in Zagreb on Thursday.
ZAGREB, Oct 16 (Hina) - One quarter of foreign investments in
Croatia refer to small and medium-sized businesses, which account
for more than one half of GDP, two thirds of employees in the economy
sector, and 25-30 percent of all exports, which keep growing,
Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan said opening the first
international conference on small businesses in Zagreb on
Thursday. #L#
Racan said that the government's programme of development of small
businesses covering the period until 2006 envisaged the creation of
151,000 new jobs. This plan is based on achieved investment results
in small and medium-sized business, including 6,600 granted loans,
which enabled the opening of 16,000 new companies, trades and co-
operatives, and the creation of more than 40,000 new jobs.
Croatia is facing the major task of approaching the European Union.
A big step has been made towards the EU in the sector of small
businesses. Small businesses are increasingly gaining importance
in the EU, and we are proud that Croatia is already meeting
requirements in that sector and is about the sign the European
charter on small businesses, Racan said.
Foreign Minister Tonino Picula and European Integration Minister
Neven Mimica said that development in Europe was based on small
businesses, which they said accounted for 60-70 percent of European
GDP. Also important is a good strategy on foreign markets and strong
economic diplomacy, the two ministers said. Minister Picula today
announced the presentation of Croatia's economic potential and
companies in Brussels on October 29.
The purpose of the two-day conference, which pooled some 70
representatives of international and domestic institutions,
governments and ministries from Croatia and ten countries from the
region, is to deepen regional cooperation in small businesses in
South-East Europe, said Croatia's Minister of Trades and Small and
Medium-Sized Businesses, Zeljko Pecek.
The conference will be addressed by representatives of relevant
ministries from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Hungary,
Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia and Serbia and Montenegro, who will
speak about small businesses in their countries. Special guests at
the conference are officials from Italy and Austria and
representatives of the World Bank and the European Commission. The
EC Ambassador to Zagreb, Jacques Wunenberger, greeted participants
in the conference, wishing them success in reforms.
(hina) rml sb