CONSTATINESCU INVITES CRO BUSINESSMEN TO INVEST IN ROMANIA

ZAGREB, June 8 (Hina) - Romanian President Emil Constatinescu in Zagreb Thursday evening invited Croatian businessmen to invest in Romania, and added that his country was conducting necessary economic reforms. Romania is becoming a more attractive country for investments of mutual interest, Constatinescu said addressing businessmen of the two countries in the Croatian Chamber of Commerce at the end of his visit to Zagreb. In the upcoming period, the most important duty is the reform of the tax system, which includes the decrease of the profit tax from 35 to 25 percent, tax relief for investments, the implementation of a unique Value Added Tax rate and the decrease of excise duties. Such measures will also increase the interest of Croatian entrepreneurs and open space for the increase of trade exchange which in 1999 amounted to about US$15 million. Croatia exported goods worth about US$3 million, while the import amounted to about US$13 million. The visit programme of the Romanian President to Croatia also included a meeting with representatives of the Romanian minority and a lecture at the mining-geological faculty. He is scheduled to visit the southern Adriatic town of Dubrovnik Friday. The visit of Romanian President Constatinescu to Croatia was the first official visit of a foreign statesman since the inauguration of Croatian President Stipe Mesic. (hina) it