The Croatian Chamber of Economy yesterday showcased a number of selected investment projects in the central European country to Qataris and other investors from the region during a presentation held on the sidelines of the exhibition at the ICC WCF 8th World Chambers Congress, which concluded at the Qatar National Convention Centre yesterday.
The projects include the base of the world’s fastest electric super-car - Concept One, Croatian Dream Dubrovnik, Gold Resort Croatia, Pasman Resort, and Wellness and Health Centre.
The foreign direct investment recorded in the country between 1993-2012 amounted to 26.2bn euros, according to the Croatian Chamber of Economy’s Investment Promotion Centre assistant managing director Svjetlana Momcilovic.
She mentioned that the country, which has a long standing tradition in tourism, has last year received more than 11mn tourists and more than 60mn overnight guests stay.
“Some of the investment opportunities in Croatia include tourism and agriculture, industry-pharmaceutical, ICT, production of clean and renewable energy and aqua-culture,” Momcilovic said adding: “We guarantee safety and business stability aside ensuring bylaws that provide same business environment for both foreign and local businesses.”
International Chamber of Commerce Croatia secretary general Suncanica Skupnjak Kapic, who was also present yesterday, said the chamber was seizing the opportunity of the world chambers congress to promote business opportunities in Croatia as well as attract businessmen and inform them about how to do business in the country.
“We want investors to be more active on the Croatian market as we expect Croatia to become a member of the European Union soon in July. We are presenting six of some 200 projects that interested businessmen can invest in here,” she noted.
On existing bilateral co-operation between Qatar and Croatia, she said: “We have signed several bilateral agreements on co-operation with Qatar Chamber. Our president visited here last November and there were many talks in this regard but the actualising these projects will definitely take time.”
She mentioned that both countries are also co-operating in the energy sector, tourism, in the field of science, innovation, technological development and know-how.
“We are hoping that Qatar will become one of our strategic country partners and investors from here will come and start businesses in Croatia,” she added.
Croatian Ambassador to Qatar Tomislav Boshnyaks said that all the basis for co-operation between Qatar and Croatia were already laid bare in the field of technology, sports and economy as well as health.
“We have a number of companies already present in Qatar and those companies feel welcome here. We also want to welcome Qatari companies in Croatia. Although, we are small in size, but we have made significant contributions to the world of inventions such as the world’s fastest electronic car,” he pointed out.
“I wish to see those Qataris that will be visiting Croatia and Croatians that will be coming here to have a warm feeling around their hearts as that would tell us that we have brought the two nations close together,” he joked.
A Qatari investor in Croatia Sheikh Jassim Saoud al-Thani, who is also the chairman of Apriori Group - a Croatian company based here – described Croatia as an ‘untapped market’, which is beckoning to investors.




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