76TH ZAGREB INTERNATIONAL AUTUMN FAIR - EXTENDED

ZAGREB, Sept 11 (Hina) - Croatia's President Stipe Mesic on Monday opened the annual Zagreb International Autumn Fair, the biggest economic exhibition in this part of Europe. The 76th edition features 1,811 exhibitors from 36 countries, with Hungary as Croatia's partner country. This year's exhibits come from the fields of construction, the metal-working industry and mechanical engineering, the food- processing, chemical and electric industry, agriculture, consumer goods, transportation and telecommunications, textile and leather. "In the coming period, moderateness and tolerance should prevail in Croatia's policy so that with joint efforts we could overcome the economic depression. The Zagreb fair, too, serves that purpose - overcoming the economic crisis," Croatian President Stipe Mesic said opening the event. "Our situation calls for a higher rate of economic growth and the government should be supported in defining a development concept which will take into account our specific needs, including, first of all, decreasing unemployment, as well as our current situation, which is one of economic crisis," Mesic said. Overcoming the crisis is not possible without a social consensus. A social agreement should secure balance between economic growth and social justice, Mesic said. Mesic recalled the changes and issues Croatia faced in the past period and which resulted in serious economic and social problems. President Mesic said the need of introducing order in public finances and bringing total spending within the real frameworks of the Gross National Product was a difficult task for Croatia's democratically elected government and ruling coalition. The difficulty lies in the fact that putting things back in order continues to reduce expenditure and employment, results in bankruptcies, and delays the speed of growth and recovery, the President said. All this deepens the feeling of poverty and lack of prospect among our citizens, he added. President Mesic said that in view of the world's opening toward Croatia, Croatia had to establish which factors were going to make it attractive for foreign capital so as to strengthen its economy and make it competitive on the foreign and domestic markets. As this year's partner country, Hungary will present 62 of its companies which will acquaint interested businessmen with their potential. This year's autumn trade fair features two specialised events, Intertekstil - the 55th International Textile and Ancillary Industry Fair, and CroMoney - the second finances and business possibilities fair. (hina) ha rml jn