Answering reporters' questions ahead of a party meeting in Petlovac, Osijek-Baranja County, Vrdoljak said that the forum in Moscow would not be a political but a business event which he had a duty to attend together with Croatian business people active on the Russian market, "so they could establish contacts" and increase their presence there.
Asked if he could eventually give up on his decision to travel to Moscow, Vrdoljak said the matter had been "communicated" and that he would attend with Croatian business people the forum that was expected to result in higher Croatian exports to Russia.
The minister said that he did not have exact information on the damage caused to Croatian businesses by sanctions against Russia, but he noted that it was not small and that Croatian companies operating in Russia were affected the most by depreciation of the ruble.