STOCKHOLM, Oct 23 (Hina) - President Stjepan Mesic started a two-day working visit to Sweden on Thursday by attending a business event in Stockholm that brought together about 60 business people from the two countries.
STOCKHOLM, Oct 23 (Hina) - President Stjepan Mesic started a two-
day working visit to Sweden on Thursday by attending a business
event in Stockholm that brought together about 60 business people
from the two countries. #L#
Addressing the gathering, Mesic called on Swedish business people
to invest in the Croatian economy, particularly in the industry and
the services sector.
He also said it was necessary to increase the trade between the two
countries from the present US$153 million to the 1994 level when it
totalled $245 million.
The Croatian president said his country was removing
administrative obstacles to fresh investment, adding that there
were also possibilities of strengthening economic cooperation in
the areas of information technology, shipbuilding, tourism, and
metal and wood-processing industries.
The event, entitled "Swedish-Croatian Business Day", was organised
by the Swedish Council for Trade and the Swedish Embassy to Zagreb.
Later in the day, Mesic is scheduled to meet Swedish Parliament
vice-chairman Per Westerberg and Prime Minister Goeran Persson. He
will also have separate talks with Swedish business people.
Economy Minister Ljubo Jurcic, who leads a Croatian business
delegation, is due to meet Swedish Trade and Industry Minister Leif
Pagrotsky for talks on promoting economic cooperation.
Sweden and Croatia have signed seven bilateral agreements,
including an agreement on promotion and protection of investment,
and preparations are under way to sign three more, including an
agreement on avoidance of double taxation.
The overall trade between the two countries has reached $153
million over the past few years, with Swedish exports totalling as
much as $130 million.
From 1993 to the end of 2001, Sweden's share in all foreign
investments in Croatia was 7.48 percent, making it the tenth
largest investor in the country.
The largest individual investment in Croatia, totalling $70
million, was made by the Swedish telecommunications giant,
Ericsson, which is a majority owner of the Nikola Tesla factory in
Zagreb.
Thirty-three Swedish companies are currently operating in Croatia,
including Biolab, Electrolux, Ericsson Nikola Tesla, Oriflame,
Tetra Pak, and Volvo.
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