CONSTITUTIVE SESSION OF THE PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS HELD

The first session of the Council for Economic Affairs was held in the office of the President of the Rebublic, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović. President of the Croatian business angels network (CRANE), Davorin Štetner, who is representing CRANE in the Council, announced on this occasion an active engagement in proposing measures for the improvement of business and investment climate.

“I can promise that we will be very specific in the issue of proposing solutions for business climate improvement. Members of CRANE are experienced investors and entrepreneurs and they can surely specify the entrepreneurs’ problems. Today we also presented the official document “Proposed measures for the improvement of business and investment climate” in which we tried to sum up in 8 points the key problems that not only our members encounter, but all the entrepreneurs in Croatia. The document was delivered today to the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Crafts and presented to the President Grabar-Kitarović’s Council for Economic Affairs. I point out that our main goal is to propose and give solutions and that we are available to everyone who wants to hear about the experiences of investors in Croatia.” Said Davorin Štetner, president of Croatian business angels network CRANE.

President Grabar-Kitarović expressed her satisfaction with the constitutive session being held on the day that marks the second anniversary of Croatia’s membership in the European Union, and with the opportunity to reflect on Croatia’s current situation.

Referring to her recent visit to the Slovak Republic, which is recording an economic growth of 3 to 4 percent, a declining unemployment and creation of new jobs, the Croatian President pointed out that job growth is the key to the solution, the key to getting out of the economic crisis, “That is what I want to see in Croatia, economic growth, job creation, employment rise, the creation of new products, export, fiscal discipline, and certainly an efficient state administration,” she said.

“When I hear objections about how the economy does not fall within the domain of the President of the Republic, I have to disagree. I am aware that I am not conferred with the main executive power of the state, nor do I want to create an alternative to the democratically elected government in this respect,” said the President, pointing out her responsibility toward the Croatian citizens.

Recalling that the former Presidents each formed their own Economic Council that provided them with advice, President Grabar-Kitarović noted that she is continuing that good tradition but in a completely different format. “I do not want the Economic Council to be a debate club, what I want is for it to assume an active, operational, and specific role with a dynamic work pace that will put forward its recommendations and guidelines,” she said.

Besides the President of the Republic of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, the constitutive session was also attended by Mato Brlošić, president of the Croatian Chamber of Agriculture; Luka Burilović, president of the Croatian Chamber of Economy; Dragutin Ranogajec, president of the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts; Darinko Bago, president of Croatian Exporters; Gordana Deranja, president of the Croatian Employers’ Association; Mladen Fogec, president of the Foreign Investors Council in Croatia; Davor Huić, executive director of the Association of Taxpayers Lipa; Davorin Štetner, president of the Croatian business angels network; prof. Heri Bezić, Ph. D., Dean of Faculty of Economics at the University of Rijeka; prof. Vladimir Cini, Ph. D., Dean of Faculty of Economics at the University of Osijek; prof. Željko Garača, Ph. D., Dean of Faculty of Economics at the University of Split; prof. Lajoš Žager, Ph. D., Dean of Faculty of Economics at the University of Zagreb; Dubravka Jurlina Alibegović, Ph. D., director of the Institute of Economics; Sanda Čorak, Ph. D., director of the Institute for Tourism; Miodrag Šajatović, editor in chief of the business weekly Lider; Mislav Šimatović, editor in chief of the Poslovni Dnevnik daily; President’s chief of staff Domagoj Juričić; secretary of the Council Marko Juričić, and special advisor to the President, Nikica Valentić.

Photo source: “Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Filip Glas”