CONFERENCE ON CROATIAN CAPITAL MARKET BEGINS

( Editorial: --> 7039 ) ZAGREB, Dec 9 (Hina) - Croatian Economy Minister Nenad Porges on Tuesday officially opened a two-day business conference titled "Potentials of the Croatian Capital Market" being held at the Sheraton Hotel in Zagreb. According to a statement from the Economy Ministry, the conference, organised by the London firm 'Euroforum', is being held for the second year in a row, and among those taking part are representatives from Croatian companies, banks, law firms and multinational companies. Participants this year include Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, the World Bank, UBS, Creditanstalt, Raiffeisenbank, Croatian oil company INA, the Croatian Electric Power Industry (HEP), Privredna Banka Zagreb (PBZ), Croatian food producer 'Podravka', confectionery maker 'Kras' and others. In his address to conference delegates, Minister Porges began with a reminder of the main economic indicators, stressing the success of the government's stabilisation program. Speaking about the Croatian capital market, the Economy Minister emphasised that for now it was dominated by small investors who in the process of privatisation had become shareholders, as well as by banks and brokerages. In the forthcoming period it was aimed that new strategic investors would enter the Croatian capital market. With this in mind, Porges especially pointed out the legislative and institutional framework - the Zagreb Stock Exchange and the Securities Commission - as well as growth of the securities market in Croatia, the statement from the Economy Ministry said. (Hina) jn mb 091722 MET dec 97