BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH

HR-TRADE-Politika BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH NO. 3872HINA Zagreb, January 13 2000HUNGARY AND CROATIA INITIAL FREE TRADE AGREEMENTZAGREB, Jan 13 (Hina) - Hungary and Croatia on Saturday morning initialled a free trade agreement, which is expected to be signed during the forthcoming visit of Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban to Zagreb. "The agreement is important as it opens the door of the Hungarian market to Croatia's products and makes it possible for our products to have the same access to that market as products from the European Union and CEFTA do," read a statement released by the Croatian Economy Ministry today. The deal also facilitates Croatia's drawing closer to membership in CEFTA (the Central European Free Trade Agreement). Hungary is the first country outside the area of the former Yugoslavia and the second CEFTA member to make such an agreement with Croatia. The implementation of the free trade agreement will start immediately after the sign