1998 SAW 7.9 % DROP IN CROATIA'S IMPORT, 8.9 % INCREASE IN EXPORT

ZAGREB, Feb 3 (Hina) - Croatia imported goods, valued 8.4 billion US dollars, in 1998, or 7.9 percent less than in 1997. In the last year the export rose by 8.9 percent to US$ 4.5 billion. The export from the European Union (EU) to Croatia decreased by eight percent to 4.98 billion dollars, while the export from Croatia to the EU increased by 4.2 percent to 2.16 billion dollars, the Croatian Statistical Office reported on Wednesday. The most important EU trading partners of Croatia were Germany and Italy. In 1998, Germany exported goods, valued US$1.6 billion, in Croatia, recording a 12.2 percent decrease in comparison to 1997. Croatia's export to Germany increased by 2.9 percent to US$ 766.99 million. The value of goods imported from Italy to Croatia dropped by 12 percent to US$1.5 billion, while the goods exported from Croatia to Italy valued 801.7 million dollars, or less by 1.9 percent than in 1997. Macedonia's export to Croatia climbed by 32.5 percent, whereas Croatia's export to that country saw a decrease of 17.8 percent. The import from Bosnia-Herzegovina climbed by 14.1 percent, while the export to this neighbourly country also rose by 0.8 percent. The last year saw a 4.4 decrease in the import from Slovenia and a 14.5 percent drop in the export to this neighbourly country. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia/Montenegro) exported goods valued 19 million dollars to Croatia in 1998, while Croatia exported goods valued 16.9 million dollars to the FRY. (hina) mm ms