CROATIA HAS NO RECOGNISABLE EXPORT PRODUCT

ZAGREB, Feb 27 (Hina) - The unrecognisability of Croatian export products, the non-existence of a Croatian brand and marketing strategy of presenting Croatian products abroad, are only some criticisms forwarded to the Croatian government from Wednesday's round-table conference "Croatia's Marketing" organised by the Croatian Employers' Association and the Croatian Marketing Associations Alliance. Natasa Matijasevic from the government's Strategy Office said that the thesis, repeated several times, that the state's interests are not well represented on the international and domestic scene does not hold water. Instead, the interests of the state are not even defined. She explained that the problem lay in the fact that Croatia had no vision about what should be sold abroad. She also presented the results of a mini poll about what Croatia represented to foreigners. The results show, she said, that foreigners had no universal idea at the mention of Croatia, such as was the case with Switzerland or The Netherlands. Participants of the discussion said Croatia still did not have a service for the promotion of state interests, while Hungary and Poland, for example, have centres for the promotion of state's interests. Croatian Employers' Association director Zeljko Ivancevic, said Croatia did not make a big headway in the area of the state's marketing, and it was not known who or what should be done in this field. (hina) lml sb