ZAGREB, April 22 (Hina) - The association "Croatian Exporters" held its founding session at Zagreb's Opera Hotel on Thursday, bringing together nearly 1,500 business people, of whom 1,238 applied for membership.
ZAGREB, April 22 (Hina) - The association "Croatian Exporters" held its
founding session at Zagreb's Opera Hotel on Thursday, bringing
together nearly 1,500 business people, of whom 1,238 applied for
membership.#L#
The meeting was addressed by Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, who said that
the positive opinion of the European Commission about Croatia's
application for membership of the European Union "will not solve our
tasks on the home front".
"We ourselves must solve our tasks in the area of legislation,
consolidate the judiciary, protect creditors, promote employment and
increase exports, and that will substantially change for the better
the international position and image of Croatia," the prime minister
said.
Expressing his optimism, Sanader said that his government and its
majority in Parliament would make every effort to improve conditions
for business people, especially exporters. He announced a series of
incentive measures and efforts to strengthen economic diplomacy.
The prime minister devoted special attention to the European
Commission's opinion, saying that already in June the European Council
was expected to decide on granting Croatia candidate status and set a
date for the start of EU entry talks.
"After 14 years of Croatian independence, the EU gave Croatia a
certificate of successful completion of 'an examination of maturity',"
Sanader said. "We make our own decisions and it will be up to us to
decide whether to increase exports and reduce the balance of payments
current account deficit," he added.
Several speakers at the meeting drew attention to the stagnation of
Croatian exports.
The chairman of the Steering Committee, Darinko Bago, said that
efforts should be made to overcome the existing problems and increase
exports. "We expect the Government to protect us on both the domestic
and foreign market from subsidies and incentives offered by other
countries," he said.
Bago said that the aim of his association was unsubsidised and
competitive production and promoting the interests of Croatian
exporters.
(Hina) vm