ZAGREB ZAGREB, Sept 17 (Hina) - Croatia at present needs development and growth more than ever. The incumbent authorities have both a great chance and responsibility for spurring the country's progress. The right solutions cannot be
found without assistance of entrepreneurs and managers, said Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic during Monday's ceremonial opening of the 77th International Autumn Fair in Zagreb.
ZAGREB, Sept 17 (Hina) - Croatia at present needs development and
growth more than ever. The incumbent authorities have both a great
chance and responsibility for spurring the country's progress. The
right solutions cannot be found without assistance of
entrepreneurs and managers, said Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic
during Monday's ceremonial opening of the 77th International
Autumn Fair in Zagreb.#L#
The fair, together with two special events - Cromoney and
Intertekstil - has drawn 1,806 participants from 47 countries, who
are exhibiting their products and services on about 100,000 square
metres on the premises of the Zagreb Fair (ZV) until 23 September.
Opening the fair, President Mesic assessed the economy of this part
of Europe had started reviving and was also intensifying its
cooperation with the European Union. These are positive processes
which help Croatia's economy to enter regional, European and world
markets. However, Croatia also faces stronger competitiveness,
Mesic said.
He pointed to a rise in investments and industrial production in
Croatia as a result of cuts in the economy's losses.
President Mesic, however, warned that the overall situation in the
country 20 months since the parliamentary and presidential
elections often seemed chaotic or even hopeless.
The aggravating consequences of the aggression and the war to which
Croatia was exposed in early 1990s can still be felt, but what is
more worrisome are bids to destroy the basic values of the rule of
law, delays in the transition of economy, dissatisfaction with the
current policy owing to delays in making positive changes and
frustration with the inability of the new authorities to accomplish
a visible uplift in the economy, Mesic assessed.
It is important as well as doubtless that Croatia possesses a
potential for development, he said and added that his nation is able
to create services and products competitive both on the domestic
and foreign markets.
In this context he urged the adoption of a strategy for the
country's progress.
Mesic cited the administrative costs of the state, increased
obligation in debt servicing and increasing financial obligations
of local self-government as the major impeding factors in the
country's development.
Last year, Croatia managed to remove a high political risk, but at
present other problems are cropping up for possible investors, such
as the lack of adjustment of national legislation with European
standards, the slowness of the courts, and inefficiency of the
public sector, Mesic said.,
He assessed that globalisation trends were inevitable. Grave
crimes such as recent terrorist attacks in the United States can
slow them down, but such tragic events also intensify our awareness
that it is necessary to strengthen international institutions and
tighten our mutual links in the world, Mesic said, condemning once
again the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.
Croatia needs an economic diplomacy that can relay political
messages and the atmosphere in the country to foreign strategic
partners who will invest capital and knowledge in our country or who
will be permanently present in our economy, Mesic said.
At the end of his speech, he declared the fair open.
This year's country-partner at the ZV is Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Bosnian collective presidency's chairman, Jozo Krizanovic,
described the ties between these two countries as better than ever.
He also believes the international fair in the Croatian capital is a
great opportunity for the enhancement of bilateral economic
relations.
Krizanovic urged the two countries' authorities to step up efforts
to settle open issues and remove obstacles on the path to better
economic cooperation.
Bosnia's Ambassador to Croatia, Hasan Muratovic, called on
Croatian business people to become more active in the process of
privatisation in his country.
Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic announced the Zagreb Fair company would
soon be restructured so that the ZV could become a leading
protagonist in business activities in the region.
ZV Director-General Jurica Pavelic said the fact that 60 percent of
the exhibitors were foreigners reflected the interest of other
countries in Croatia's economy as well as the ZV's high standing in
the economic world.
(hina) ms