"It's a very good project and I believe it will show good results in the foreseeable future," he said, adding that this was a new concept of organising economic diplomacy which should combine the efforts of all relevant institutions in the promotion of Croatian economy abroad and encourage investments.
"Our economic prosperity depends on whether we will be able to encourage investments and place our products abroad," said Josipovic.
He was confident that the Foreign Ministry's programme would ensure a synergy between the ministries in charge of the economy and the diplomatic network, stressing the importance of the Chamber of Commerce (HGK) and the Chamber of Trades and Crafts participating in this.
The president said the regulations were too complicated and needed changing.
Responding to questions from the press, Klisovic said the entire programme would be presented by Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic at the end of the month, after it was agreed with the president as the co-creator of the foreign policy.
He said the programme was developed in cooperation with business people, that it was aimed at adapting the entire diplomatic network to economic diplomacy, and that members of the government and the president would participate in the promotion of the Croatian economy abroad together with ambassadors and honorary consuls.
Asked by the press why the programme had taken so long, Klisovic said consultations with business people all over Croatia had been necessary. "The whole time we protected and promoted the interests of our business people and I believe they are happy with our work."
Ivan Ergovic, a member of the president's Economic Council, said the HGK branches abroad should be incorporated into the embassies to cut costs and increase efficiency.
He said the biggest problems business people encountered were red tape and increasing levies. "There's less and less of those who fill the budget, yet it is constantly growing."
He said it was necessary to make the state cheaper to relieve the economy of the burden of the crisis.