The Economics Department of the EIB and the National Bank of Croatia (HNB) organised a high level conference and round table on how the EIB can contribute to investment finance in Croatia.
In its opening speech, HNB Governor Boris Vujčić (seen here speaking at the EIB’s economics conference) emphasised the need for a new growth model in Croatia with a stable and predictable business environment supported by a credible consolidation of public finances.
EIB Economics Department’s Director Debora Revoltella talked about the key messages of the Investment and Investment Finance in Europe report. EIB Vice-President Dario Scannapieco presented the EIB’s response to the crisis, and its activities in Croatia.
The presentations were followed by a panel discussion with high-level government officials, representatives of the financial sector, entrepreneurs and the EIB. The discussion touched on the effects of uncertainty on investment, the need for structural reforms and fiscal prudence to re-launch growth, the lack of equity finance in Croatia, the importance of SME’s access to finance and the EIB’s role in Croatia in promoting lending to SMEs.
Vesna Pusić, Deputy prime minister of the Republic of Croatia and Slavko Linić, Minister of Finance as well as senior government officials, representatives of commercial banks and entrepreneurs attended the conference.
