ZAGREB, May 18 (Hina) - Croatia's Economy Minister Goranko Fizulic and Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic on Friday received the mayor of London City, Europe's biggest financial centre, for talks on possibilities of British investing
in Croatia and business cooperation. Mayor Sir David Howard told reporters after the talks he was impressed by the latest indicators on Croatia's economic growth, adding he had used his visit to find ways in which London City might help Croatia in its development. Croatia is faced with a series of problems as other countries in transition, Howard said, but added he was aware the government was working towards eliminating legislative hurdles in order to attract investors. It is especially important to tackle regulations pertaining to foreign trade, he said. "The pension reform ahead of us is not possible without the revival of the Zagreb Stock Exchange,
ZAGREB, May 18 (Hina) - Croatia's Economy Minister Goranko Fizulic
and Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic on Friday received the mayor
of London City, Europe's biggest financial centre, for talks on
possibilities of British investing in Croatia and business
cooperation.
Mayor Sir David Howard told reporters after the talks he was
impressed by the latest indicators on Croatia's economic growth,
adding he had used his visit to find ways in which London City might
help Croatia in its development.
Croatia is faced with a series of problems as other countries in
transition, Howard said, but added he was aware the government was
working towards eliminating legislative hurdles in order to
attract investors. It is especially important to tackle
regulations pertaining to foreign trade, he said.
"The pension reform ahead of us is not possible without the revival
of the Zagreb Stock Exchange, increasing its liquidity, and a
bigger influence of foreign investors and their presence in
Croatia," said Economy Minister Fizulic.
He reminded several British investors had backed away from Croatia
before the "Russian crisis" and were now returning, albeit in
insufficient numbers.
Croatia wants a higher and balanced trade with Great Britain and to
return British tourists to the Adriatic, said Fizulic. He recalled
that 550,000 British tourists had vacationed in Croatia in 1989,
just before the break-up of the former Yugoslav federation, as
against only 67,000 last year.
Deputy PM Granic acquainted the London City mayor and the British
business delegation he led with the economic problems Croatia was
facing as a country in transition, pointing out they had been
exacerbated by the 1990s war.
Granic also spoke about the various reforms undertaken by the
government.
(hina) ha