"The quality of our bilateral relations unfortunately is not reflected in economic indicators," Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico told reporters during his first official visit to Zagreb after meeting his Croatian host, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader.
The two prime ministers see possibilities for further improving economic cooperation in the tourist industry and in establishing joint Croatian-Slovakian companies.
Slovakia is preparing to open honorary consulates in Rijeka and Split because of a growing number of Slovakian tourists spending their holidays on the Croatian Adriatic coast.
The meeting also focused on the manufacturing of trams and the reconstruction and modernisation of hydroelectric power plants. Slovakia's Podrezova Ironworks expressed an interest in taking part in the privatisation of Sisak Ironworks.
The ministers of economic affairs of the two countries were instructed to design a project for storing Slovakian oil reserves in Croatia to avoid problems with the supply of Russian oil in the future.
Sanader thanked his Slovakian counterpart for the support he had extended to Croatia in Brussels in December, when he supported the separation of Croatia's and Turkey's EU membership talks.
"This was very important to Croatia because we think that every country should go its own individual way," Sanader said.
"I wish to reaffirm that Slovakia will do all it can to support Croatia in achieving its two strategic goals, to join the European Union and NATO," Fico said, expressing hope that this would happen as soon as possible.
Sanader cited 2009 as a realistic target year for Croatia's accession to the EU, adding that he expected a membership invitation from NATO in the spring of 2008.
Fico said that in the event of Croatia joining the EU during the term of the present Slovakian government, Bratislava "will set no transitional periods."
Fico further said that NATO's success or failure in Afghanistan would be a test for the alliance's future. He added that Slovakia was withdrawing its troops from Iraq and that it was considering whether or not it would send more troops to Afghanistan.
Fico invited Sanader to visit Slovakia, which the Croatian prime minister accepted with pleasure, saying he hoped to visit Bratislava this year.