MALAYSIAN BUSINESSMEN URGED TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES IN CROATIA

By R. Ravichandran

KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 (Bernama) -- Croatia's Ambassador to Malaysia Zeljko
Bosnjak has urged Malaysian businessmen to explore business opportunties in his
country.

In making the call, Bosnjak said that despite top level visits between the
both sides in the past after establishing diplomatic ties in 1995, there had
been not much development in terms of trade and investment between the two
countries.

Investment and business potential can be explored in the energy sector, road
construction, wood and chemical industries and pharmaceutical, among others, he
said.

He also said that areas such as tourism offer good opportunities, especially
construction or upgrading of hotels and resorts, particularly around the scenic
Adriatic Sea.

Croatia has 1,777 kilometres of mainland of the Adriatic shoreline with
1,185 islands, islets and reefs as well as some of Europe's oldest historical
places.

Tourism where Croatia is ranked as the 18th most popular tourist destination
in the world is an important source of revenue. The country received more than
11 million foreign tourists in 2008, generating some ?8 billion in revenue.

Bosnjak said the Malaysian business community was also welcomed to
participate and invest in the shipbuilding industry, which Croatia is globally
well-known as having one of the longest tradition and with qualified workers.

"We (Zagreb and Kuala Lumpur) have a very cordial and friendly relations...
we should make use of this to expand and enhance our ties in various areas," he
told Bernama in a recent interview here.

The ambassador said Malaysian businessmen could find reliable business
partners in Croatia.

Bosnjak said Malaysian businessmen could also explore the possibility of
using Croatia as a gateway or distributing point for goods and products to other
neighbouring countries.

Croatia borders Slovenia and Hungary to the north, Bosnia and Herzegovina to
the southeast, and Serbia and Montenegro to the east.

"Our ports and harbours are also located strategically and Malaysian palm
oil industry can use this facilities to distribute palm oil to other parts of
Europe," he said.

Another area for potential business is the halal industry as currently there
are 22 registered companies dealing with halal business in Croatia, a country
which has some 80,000 to 100,000 Muslims from total population of 4.48 million.

Croatia is located at the crossroads of Mediterranean, Central Europe and
the Balkans. It proclaimed its independence in 1991 from the former Yugoslavia.

Currently, Malaysia imports textile from Croatia and according to Bosnjak,
the Croatian textile industry plans to open business in Kuala Lumpur this year.

On the other hand, Malaysia's exports to Croatia are mainly electrical and
electronic products as well garment.

"But the volume of trade is very low and getting even low... something
worrying," Bosnjak said, adding that Proton could also try to penetrate the
Croatian market.

Bilateral trade between Malaysia and Croatia in 2008 totalled about US$70
million, the ambassador said.

He said Croatia had enacted business-friendly laws to attract foreign
investment and businesses and the country was also known to have well-respected
democracy and human rights.

Bosnjak, who is the fourth ambassador from Croatia to Malaysia, said in
order to boost trade, economic and investment ties, a Malaysia-Croatia Forum was
in the process of being formed.

"I am very much supportive the formation of this forum... it is important to
develop two-way business because it is impossible to develop strong business
ties without businessmen having the right information," he said.

Such a forum, he added, would be useful as now more Malaysian companies have
started to enquire about doing business in Croatia.

Bosnjak cited the lack of information and interest on both sides as among
key reasons for low business volume between the two countries.

He also hoped that Malaysia Airlines, which had operated flights to Zagreb
between 2000 and 2002, could resume them as the city has good connections to
neighbouring countries.

Among the top level visits was that by former Malaysian prime minister
Mahathir Mohamad to Croatia in 1996 and the then Croatiaon Prime Minister Zlatko
Matesaand to Malaysia in 1997, followed by the then President Stjepan Mesic to
Malaysia in 2002.
-- BERNAMA

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