ZAGREB, November 30, 2020 - Croatia today marks its 20th anniversary of membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) which it joined on 30 November 2000 as the 140th member, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs said on Monday.

Accession to the WTO was the foundation for the integration of Croatia's economy with the European and global market, the ministry said in a press release.

Croatia's WTO membership marked a period of further liberalisation, boosting exports and participation in world trade as a factor of development.

That was the first step towards European and regional economic integration and membership of the European Union, the ministry said.

Today the multilateral trade system is faced with many challenges and the current situation requires all WTO members to invest additional effort to find new ways to achieve a more stable trade environment based on regulations, the press release added.

Croatia is confident that the WTO can provide answers for today's key challenges and issues so that it can modernise and facilitate doing business in the 21st century, the ministry said.

Croatia is a strong and dedicated supporter of the multilateral system and sees the WTO as a necessary and valuable partner, it said.

As Morski writes on the 11th of March, 2020, a Jelsa delegation from Hvar island recently visited Switzerland following the official invitation of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Croatia to the United Nations Office in Geneva and the Croatian Ambassador to the Mission, Vesna Batistić Kos, as well as the official invitation of the Croatian Embassy in Bern and Ambassador Andreja Bekić.

The Municipality of Jelsa and the Tourist Board, headed by Mayor Niksa Peronja and the Director of the Tourist Board Marija Marjan, together with Hvar island winemakers, oilmen and those in the hospitality industry presented their products. Along with wines and oils, the main theme was the Mediterranean diet. The main objective of this event was to promote the Municipality of Jelsa and Hvar island in terms of tourism and culture.

The Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, Gordan Grlic Radman, ambassadors and many diplomatic representatives also attended the presentation at the WTO (World Trade Organisation).

In addition to excellent wines mostly of original Croatian varieties, guests were also able to taste the typical dishes of Hvar island prepared by local chefs.

''This is only the first step when it comes to the joint performances with which we want to open the doors to new markets, both for the export of wine and other products, as well as for winning over new tourists who will come to visit our country.

Wine is a product that binds closely to a certain territory, it can be a great invitation to discover the place where it came from. Since tourism is a good way of generating new demand, cooperation with the Tourist Board of the Jelsa Municipality in the area of ​​the most important wineries of Hvar island is especially important for us,'' said the president of the Association of Croatian Winemakers, Ivana Krstulovic Caric.

In order to maximise the visibility of Dalmatian wines, especially the original varieties - wineries from other areas of Dalmatia have also been included as today's tourists are exploring more destinations and will also visit other Dalmatian cities, such as Zadar, Sibenik, Split, Imotski and nearby vineyards on their way to (or from) Hvar island.

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