ZAGREB, May 26 (Hina) - The Scandinavian countries helped Croatia in the struggle for independence, and now are expected to also help with access to NATO and the European Union, Prime Minister Ivica Racan said on Sunday.
ZAGREB, May 26 (Hina) - The Scandinavian countries helped Croatia
in the struggle for independence, and now are expected to also help
with access to NATO and the European Union, Prime Minister Ivica
Racan said on Sunday. #L#
"In the struggle for independence, the support of the Scandinavian
countries was important for us, and now it is important... that
Croatia be supported in the next step to the European Union and
NATO," Racan told reporters at Zagreb's Pleso airport before
departure for a three-day trip to Sweden and Finland.
Racan said his upcoming talks would address, among else, Sweden's
and Finland's economic relations with Croatia.
"We shall also visit two big world companies, Ericsson and Nokia,"
he said. "We shall discuss the possibility of making their presence
in Croatia stronger," he added.
Racan said the Croatian government was preparing new measures aimed
at attracting foreign investors.
He is heading a Croatian delegation which includes Foreign Minister
Tonino Picula and Tourism Minister Pave Zupan-Ruskovic. Their
first stop is Sweden, where they will stay until Tuesday evening.
On Monday Racan should meet Swedish PM Goeran Persson and
parliamentary president Brigitte Dahl. He will visit the Ericcson
company, the biggest single foreign investor in Croatia, on
Tuesday.
In Helsinki the Croatian PM will meet Finnish counterpart Paav
Lipponen and possibly President Tarja Halonen. He should also meet
parliamentary president Ritta Uosukainen.
Sweden is the tenth biggest director investor in Croatia.
(hina) ha