When politicians rid themselves of the burden of bureaucratic oligarchy, fertile ground can be prepared for the financial sector

I must say that Croatia has changed in the last ten years since my last visit, and it is evident that things are getting better. I invite Turkish entrepreneurs to invest in Croatia, and we will do everything we can to facilitate Croatian companies’ entry into the Turkish market, stated the President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, during his address to those gathered at the Croatian-Turkish Economic Forum held today in Zagreb.

– Turkey should serve as an example for Croatia. In recent years, Turkey has experienced economic growth driven by privatization processes rarely seen in history. The bureaucratic oligarchy is the greatest obstacle to progress, and when politicians rid themselves of this burden, they can prepare fertile ground for the financial sector. I must say that Croatia has changed in the last ten years since my last visit, and it is evident that things are getting better. I invite Turkish entrepreneurs to invest in Croatia, and we will do everything we can to facilitate Croatian companies’ entry into the Turkish market. Let the Croatian Chamber of Economy also open its office in Istanbul – said the President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during his address to those gathered at the Croatian-Turkish Economic Forum held today in Zagreb.

Erdoğan particularly praised the Croatian IT industry and domestic livestock farmers who export 10,000 tons of meat to Turkey, and he predicts a threefold increase in tourism investments.

The President of the Republic of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, welcomed Turkey’s commitment to European value principles and described the potential for business cooperation between Croatia and Turkey as immense.

– Turkey belongs to the EU, sharing a common cultural and economic worldview with Croatia – said the Croatian president, urging entrepreneurs to verify her claims themselves.

The Minister of Economy of the Republic of Croatia, Tomislav Panenić, and his Turkish counterpart, the Minister of Economy of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Elitaş, believe that such gatherings will elevate the level of economic cooperation between the two countries.

– Turkey has become a significant investor in the tourism and energy sectors, supporting Croatia’s image as a country worth investing in. However, I must urge Croatian entrepreneurs to invest more in the Turkish market. This large delegation led by President Erdoğan should encourage them. Concrete results from today’s meetings should soon be evident – believes Panenić, highlighting Rijeka and the Port of Ploče as key points in what he believes will be an even more successful connection between the two countries.

Mustafa Elitaş believes that the exchange of goods between the two countries must reach one billion dollars, and he believes there are no longer any obstacles to achieving this.

– Everything cannot remain just dialogue. It is up to us to facilitate Turkish companies’ entry into the Croatian market as much as possible and create a favorable entrepreneurial atmosphere. Globalism today demands quick response and adaptation – adds the Turkish Minister of Economy.

As the Croatian-Turkish Economic Forum was organized by the Croatian Chamber of Economy and the Turkish Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), the President of the HGK Luka Burilović and the President of DEIK, Omer Cihad Vardan, also had something to say.

Burilović praised the Turkish economy, which he believes has flourished under Erdoğan. He considers Croatia a natural partner for Turkey and a country that should serve as their link to Western Europe. The negative aspects include the abolition of visas for Turks when Croatia joined the EU, which resulted in a halving of the number of Turkish tourists. He also warned that the current trade exchange, which amounts to 350 million dollars, must reach one billion.

– Turkey has never been a burden on Europe. To talk about a better future, it is essential that we cooperate together, just as we cooperate on refugee issues. Our countries began negotiations for EU membership at the same time, and although you entered before us, Turkey has always supported Croatia on that path – added the President of DEIK.