President Mesic and his Macedonian counterpart Branko Crvenkovski advised the business people to consider possibilities of cooperation in tourism and cooperation in third markets.
Trade between the two countries has been increasing by the year but it is not satisfactory and is to Croatia's disadvantage, the vice-president of the Croatian Chamber of the Economy, Sime Vidulin, said.
The disproportion in trade dates back to 2000, when Croatia imported 220 million euros worth of tin from the Skopje Ironworks.
Some 40 Croatian business people attending the talks spoke about their plans to increase their presence in the Macedonian market, while representatives of the INA oil company demonstrated interest in an oil exploration project in southeast Macedonia.
Macedonian Investment Minister Vele Samak spoke about benefits for foreign investors in Macedonia, adding that the government next year planned to reduce taxes to ten percent, which he said was the lowest rate in Europe.
Offered for investments were several regional projects, including an oil pipeline to run across Bulgaria, Macedonia and Albania, highways linking the three countries, and a customs-free zone near Skopje. The construction of several smaller hydropower plants is planned as well.
Trade between the two countries has been regulated with CEFTA rules since July this year.
The regional chambers of commerce from Pula, Sisak and Varazdin signed cooperation agreements with the twin towns of Prilep, Vinica and Tetovo.