Addressing a round table discussion on business conditions in Croatia, which was held in the Austrian Justice Ministry on Monday evening, the minister said that "the relations between Austria and Croatia are very good being characterised by permanent bilateral contacts, and I can say they are excellent".
Expressing satisfaction with the fact that last year, Croatia launched the EU accession negotiations, Gastinger said it was important for business people to be sure that the tax system and the rule of law functioned and that land books were put in order.
Croatia's Ambassador to Austria, Zoran Jasic, who attended this event which pooled about a hundred business people, lawyers and bankers, thanked Vienna for support it gave to his country on the road towards the EU.
The discussion on business conditions for establishing small and medium-sized companies in Croatia was held at an initiative of the Austrian Justice Ministry and was organised by the Vienna University of Economics and the national association of tax consultants.
In 2005, the trade between these two countries totalled 1.7 billion US dollars.
Austria's direct investments in Croatia have amounted to about USD three billion since 1993.