Business news

MINSK, 9 June (BelTA) – The Croatian business is ready to establish production facilities and joint ventures in Belarus. These and other promising areas of cooperation between Belarus and Croatia were discussed during the Belarusian-Croatian Business Forum at the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Minsk, BelTA has learned.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Austria and concurrently to Croatia Valery Voronetsky said that the development of the Belarusian-Croatian trade and economic relations began only recently. "Despite the fact that we are still at the beginning of the road we have already hosted several regional business forums. Belarus and Croatia share certain business interests. Belarus has an attractive geographical location. Thanks to our country, the Croatian partners can advance to the Eurasian market,” he said.

According to him, the Belarusian side is interested in cooperation in the construction industry, energy and logistics. "Domestic enterprises are often reluctant to cooperate with Croatian partners because of high costs of product delivery to that region. I am sure that this problem will be solved sooner or later,” said Valery Voronetsky.

For his part, Croatia First Deputy Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Mr. Josko Klisovic said that Belarusian-Croatian trade is low, but the parties intend to change this situation. "We see prospects for cooperation in the fields of energy, transport and infrastructure, environmental protection and waste management, and also pharmaceuticals, agriculture and tourism. Our companies are ready to set up joint ventures, create production facilities in Belarus and carry out joint projects,” he said.

Josko Klisovic made special emphasis on possible development of relations in the field of tourism, including through increasing the flow of Belarusian tourists to Croatia.

The Croatian delegation includes representatives of 25 companies involved in repair and maintenance of machines, furniture and textiles, production of air and water purifying devices, equipment for industry, energy and transport, batteries, diesel engines, equipment for power transmission and distribution, software, extraction and processing of oil, gas, coal, food industry, investment and banking, aviation, real estate, engineering, road and rail infrastructure. A business matchmaking session for businesses of the two countries will be held as part of the business forum.