“Economic cooperation between Croatia and Serbia – how can it be improved?”

EMG organized the roundtable: “Economic cooperation between Croatia and Serbia – how can it be improved?” at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Belgrade.This event, symbolizes the ambition of the governments of these two countries to improve economic cooperation and integration, as well as stabilization of the region through open dialog and good will.

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Ekonom:east Media Group (EMG) organized the roundtable: “Economic cooperation between Croatia and Serbia – how can it be improved?” at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Belgrade.

This event, which was opened by Djuro Popijac, Minister of Economy, Labor and Entrepreneurship of the Republic of Croatia, symbolizes the ambition of the governments of these two countries to improve economic cooperation and integration, as well as stabilization of the region through open dialog and good will.

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This event was well attended by representatives of the ministry of economy and regional development of the Republic of Serbia, the ministry of trade and services of the Republic of Serbia, the office for European Integration of the Republic of Serbia, SIEPA, the Croatian Agency for promotion of exports and investments, as well as renowned companies from Serbia and Croatia, including TDR, Nexe Group, Delta Holding, Victoria Group, and many others.

“It is necessary to make an effort to enable a much larger volume of investment for Serbian companies in Croatia. We only have one investment from SWISSLION of 20 million Euros, but the missing link for comprehensive cooperation is investments from Serbian companies on the Croatian market,” said Nebojsa Ciric, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development of the Republic of Serbia.

He pointed out that regarding trade with Croatia, there is still a deficit, which in 2009 was $ 120 million and that one of the goals of the Serbian government to reduce trade deficit with all of the countries in the region, including Croatia.

The main opportunities for economic cooperation between Croatia and Serbia are food, energy, infrastructure and tourism, said Popijač. He stressed that Serbia is in second place among the countries in which Croatia is investing, since 1993. Croatia has invested about 520 million euros, in Serbia up to 2009, which is 13 percent foreign investment by Croatia.