CRO EMIGRANTS SHOULD HAVE PRIORITY WHEN INVESTING IN CROATIA

ZAGREB, June 14 (Hina) - An economy forum was held on Saturday as part of the "Croatia 2000 - Croatian Diaspora (Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow)" symposium held in Zagreb. The forum focused on the possibilities of the Croatian emigrants' investments into Croatia and their return to the homeland. Croatian Return and Immigration Minister Marijan Petrovic assessed that without emigrants, Croatia could not expect a demographic development, nor an fast economy development. Croatian Privatization Minister Milan Kovac pointed out that Croatian emigrants had bought shares worth 600 million kunas from the portfolio of the Croatian Privatization Fund. According to the president of the Croatian Privatization Fund (HFP), Tomislav Druzak, the Croatian Diaspora was insufficiently informed. To incite emigrants to invest in Croatia, Croatia should, among else, ensure the possibility of long-term share repayment and, in investing, give emigrants priority. The HFP administration should also be quicker and more efficient in decision-making, in order to reduce procedures which cost emigrants time and money. Head of administration of the Croatian Reconstruction and Development Bank (HBOR) Anton Kovacev presented the bank's projects for emigrants who wished to return. "In all our credit programmes all those who wish to return to their homeland Croatia have the same conditions as Croats who live in the homeland", he pointed out. Croatian emigrants showed great interest in HBOR's loans and investments into tourism. (hina) ha 142204 MET jun 97