ZAGREB, June 30, 2020 - Entrepreneurs expect the next government to urgently adopt structural reforms and define a clear economic strategy, according to an online round table organised on Tuesday by the Croatian Employers Association (HUP) and Vecernji List daily.
HUP director-general Davor Majetic said that due to the coronacrisis, there was mainly talk about short term measures, but added that structural reforms must not be forgotten.
He said the next government should continue with the measures to help the economy and retain jobs as well as implement structural reforms from day one. "They have never been more important."
Finance Minister Zdravko Maric said the government must create conditions for the economy to function as well as possible by reducing taxes and non-tax as well as administrative levies and by improving the investment climate.
He said the coronacrisis had shown that the economy could not function without a stable and strong state. He said the state should not be too involved but that, in partnership with businesses, it should decide which industries were strategic and base growth rates on them.
Maric said the EU's Recovery Fund was a big opportunity for Croatia and that it was necessary to start preparing projects.
Josip Tica of the Restart Coalition said strategic sectors should be in the function of added value and that it was necessary to stimulate consumption and investment. He also underlined digital transformation.
