INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SMALL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

SIBENIK, June 7 (Hina) - The Croatian government will hold a session on small and medium entrepreneurship next week. Apart from the situation analysis, also presented will be a development programme for this sector by 2004, a bill on encouraging small entrepreneurship and a series of amendments of the legislation framework which should accelerate the development of small and medium entrepreneurship. This was announced by Croatian Crafts, Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Minister Zeljko Pecek at the opening of the international conference on small economy in the southern Croatian town of Sibenik, Thursday. Pecek said the government is also to discuss the catalogue of 300 projects, presented to investors in Washington D.C. last week The Conference in Sibenik is called "Economies in Transition Have the Same Experience in the Development of Small and Medium Entrepreneurship". The conference gathered about 500 participants from Croatia and another 17 countries of which 12 are in transition. The Croatian Crafts, Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Ministry is one of the organisers of the conference, along with the United Nations economy Council for Europe and the Executive Secretariat of the Central European Initiative. Also held as a part of the conference is the fifth national counselling on small entrepreneurship. A Stabilisation and Association Agreement will make significant progress in cooperation between Croatia and the European Union at all levels, particularly in economic cooperation, head of a European Commission delegation Per Vinther said. He added the European Union expected the completion of Croatia's development strategy which will set direction for the economy. One of important aspects of the development of economy is raising the education level. Addressing the present, Vice Premier Slavko Linic said the government was determined to promote the development of small and medium entrepreneurship. He said this had been confirmed by yesterday's signing of a US$200 million loan agreement with the World Bank. The loan is earmarked for this segment of the economy. (hina) it sb