TASHKENT/ZAGREB, May 5 (Hina) - Thanks to its economic results, Croatia has reason to believe that it will become a member of the European Union in 2007. However, even now, as one of the more developed countries and members of the WTO
and the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA), it is open to interested business partners, Croatian Finance Minister Mato Crkvenac said at the annual assembly of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in Uzbekistan's Tashkent on Monday.
TASHKENT/ZAGREB, May 5 (Hina) - Thanks to its economic results,
Croatia has reason to believe that it will become a member of the
European Union in 2007. However, even now, as one of the more
developed countries and members of the WTO and the Central European
Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA), it is open to interested business
partners, Croatian Finance Minister Mato Crkvenac said at the
annual assembly of the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD) in Uzbekistan's Tashkent on Monday. #L#
Since 1993 the EBRD has invested more than one billion euros in
Croatia, of which 60% has been invested in private businesses,
Crkvenac said.
Croatia also has a very good cooperation with other European
financial institutions, such as the European Investment Bank and
the Council of Europe's Development Bank and it believes that the
growing trust of the financial market will help it strengthen its
position in the region and attract more investors, he said.
The minister especially stressed the EBRD's role in privatisation
processes and development of small and medium-sized businesses.
Speaking at today's plenary session of the EBRD's board of
governors, Crkvenac reiterated Croatia's readiness to host the
bank's annual assembly in 2005.
Croatia's delegation at the Tashkent conference organised a
presentation for interested investors and other business people to
acquaint them with the country's economic potential and the
advantages of doing business in and with Croatia, ministry
spokeswoman Sanja Mardjetko Kurecic said.
(hina) rml