By purchasing CA, Indonesia would reach all major European cities

Just as we finished the conversation, His Excellency, Indonesian Ambassador Agus Sardjono’s mobile phone rang. He was called by a Croatian entrepreneur with whom he arranged a meeting within half a minute. We were somewhat taken aback by such simplicity, trying to imagine a situation where a Croatian ambassador jumps at the invitation of an entrepreneur for a meeting. However, the Indonesian ambassador is more of an economic ‘advocate’ dealing mainly with economic issues than performing classic diplomatic duties. As soon as he opened the embassy in Zagreb last year, his first move was to arrange a meeting for businessmen from both countries.

The speed at which Indonesia is breaking into the global economic scene shows that his approach is not only correct but also brings quick results. With nearly 250 million inhabitants, Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world and one of those that have had exceptionally high economic growth rates since the outbreak of the global financial crisis. In those five years, up to 2012, Indonesia’s GDP grew on average by about six percent (this year it is expected to be around 5.8 percent).

• Last year, just after you opened the embassy, you organized a meeting of Croatian and Indonesian businessmen in Jakarta. Is the ‘joint venture’ with Orbico so far the only result of those talks?

– Mr. Roglić and his Orbico entering into a Croatian-Indonesian ‘joint venture’ is the first ‘transaction’ of that meeting, but I am sure it is not the last. Namely, the possibility of purchasing Croatia Airlines, which our Garuda Indonesia is interested in, is precisely the result of that meeting where the first discussions about the potential for that type of cooperation began. At that time, I brought brochures of Croatia Airlines, which piqued the interest of Garuda’s representatives. I hope for a positive outcome of the privatization.

• At one time, you lived as a diplomat in Belgrade, which means you know the region well. Given Indonesia’s interest in the region and Croatia, does this mean you really see a perspective? And this at a time when investors are not exactly in sight?

– As an ambassador, my task is to open not only diplomatic channels of cooperation but also economic ones. In fact, the economy is becoming the main focus. I know that the relations between Croatia and Indonesia, as well as the countries of the former state, are remembered in relation to Sukarno and Tito. However, both countries are completely different today, economic relations have changed, globalization has irrevocably changed both the foundations and means of economic progress, so my goal is to promote a new Indonesia to Croatian businessmen and see where Croatian potentials lie for the Indonesian market.

• Garuda Indonesia is one of three potential buyers of Croatia Airlines. I assume that the purchase of the Croatian carrier is just part of a larger plan?

– Correct. Indonesia is one of the largest economies in the region, the fifteenth in the world, a member of the G20 group, so it is logical that we want to increase our international role, strengthen our economic position, and bolster the foundations for GDP growth, and we want to achieve this in Europe. Garuda is one of the most successful airlines in Asia, but in Europe, we are currently only using Amsterdam airport. We also want access to London, Paris, Frankfurt, Milan, which is achievable precisely through Zagreb and Croatia Airlines.

>>> Read the entire conversation in the printed edition of Lider.