CRO EXCHANGE OF GOODS WITH CEI MEMBER-COUNTRIES LOWER THIS YEAR

ZAGREB, Nov 18 (Hina) - Croatia's exchange of commodities with member-countries of the Central European Initiative (CEI) has in the first nine months of this year reached about US$4.48 billion. This figure is 4.9 percent lower than this time last year, figures from the State Bureau of Statistics reported on Wednesday. Croatia's total exports to 15 CEI countries amounted to US$1.78 billion, 4.6 percent less than last year, while the total value of imported goods amounted to US$2.7 billion, or 5.1 percent less than the previous year. The highest amount of goods exchanged in the first nine months of this year was achieved with Italy, worth about US$1.7 billion, (6.7 percent less), then with Slovenia in the value of US$869.96 million (7.8 percent less), then with Austria, with US$630.36 million (5.2 percent less). Croatia realised its lowest exchange of commodities with Albania, worth US$5.15 million, and with Moldavia, worth US$6.19 million. Croatia's exchange balance with other CEI member-countries is, according to the State Bureau of Statistics, negative. The total goods exchange for the first nine months of this year amounted to US$926.42 million. Last years total figure amounted to US$988 million, meaning that this years figure is 6.2 percent lower. Member-countries of the CEI are: Albania, Austria, Byelorussia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, The Czech Republic, Croatia, Italy, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldavia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and The Ukraine. (hina) ab/ha jn