While there are many open political issues between the two states, economic relations are much more positive.
The cooperation between Slovenia and Croatia in the field of economy and business is excellent, while in some other areas, such as the issue of border arbitration dispute, it is not so, said Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar on Tuesday, at the official opening of the 50th International Fair of Crafts and Entrepreneurship in Celje, which is a major business event in Slovenia, reports N1 on September 12, 2017.
The fair brought together 1,478 exhibitors from 30 countries, including 50 exhibitors from Croatia. The fair will be held from 12 to 17 September and, for the first time in its history, it will have a partner country, which is Croatia.
Therefore, the opening ceremony was attended by Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts Martina Dalić and Minister of Tourism Gari Capelli.
Opening the event together with the Croatian Deputy Prime Minister, Cerar briefly commented on the state of relations between the two countries, especially in the light of recent disagreements over the border arbitration dispute, while at the same time highlighting excellent economic cooperation, which is demonstrated by the fact that the two countries are among the most important trading partners for each other.
“In some areas, for example in business, our cooperation is excellent, and in some areas, it is very good or good,” said the Slovenian Prime Minister, adding that there are areas in which cooperation was not satisfactory, such as the border dispute. In these matters, there is a lack of mutual trust for the problems to be solved, and that is largely the responsibility of politicians, said Cerar.
In her speech, Deputy Prime Minister Dalić also praised the high level of economic cooperation, expressing regret that “some important issues” among the two states have long stayed unresolved, and added that they should be solved “in a manner which respects the international law.”
She pointed out that trade between Slovenia and Croatia was on the rise, reaching as much as 3.6 billion euros last year. Slovenia is the third largest foreign trade partner for Croatia, and Croatia is the fourth largest foreign partner for Slovenia, said Deputy Prime Minister Dalić, highlighting the fact that many tourists from Slovenia traditionally visit Croatia for their holidays.
Translated from N1.
