Croatian Ministers visit the United States
Croatian Economy Minister Ivan Vrdoljak and Minister of Entrepreneurship and Crafts Ivan Maras paid working visits to the U.S. in April aimed at strengthening economic relations between Croatia and United States
Croatian Ministers visit the United States
Croatian Economy Minister Ivan Vrdoljak and Minister of Entrepreneurship and Crafts Ivan Maras paid working visits to the U.S. in April aimed at strengthening economic relations between Croatia and United States
U.S. oil companies have shown an interest in investing in Croatia, notably in oil and gas explorations in the Adriatic, Croatian Economy Minister Ivan Vrdoljak said during an official visit to the United States where he met with representatives of Exxon Mobile, Noble Energy, Conoco Phillips, Anadarco, General Electric's and Chenier.
"When we presented to them our intentions and our steps, they showed an interest in coming to Croatia, in gas and oil explorations in our part of the Adriatic," Minister Vrdoljak said after the meetings held in Houston, Texas.
Croatia first needs to meet the necessary preconditions, including adopting a new law on hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation, after which a tender will be issued.
Minister Vrdoljak said that participation of U.S. companies such as Exxon in such a project would be of great importance, because they could hire local workers, industries and even shipyards. It would also be a message to other U.S. investors that Croatia is a developing country that uses its resources wisely and that security of their investment is guaranteed.
The Minister said that the government was intensively working on a new bill on hydrocarbons and that it would be introduced into parliament soon and passed under fast-track procedure so that the tender could be issued as soon as possible.
“The use of the full potential of oil and gas explorations in the Adriatic would bring Croatia long-term security of supply from domestic sources and ensure lower prices of energy”, the Minister said.
The Minister said that it was crucial that major global players responded to the tender, adding that they believed that they had managed to ensure that American companies would be among them.
During his stay in Washington, D.C., Minister Vrdoljak also met with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Diplomacy, Amos Hochstein, and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe, Asia and the Americas, Phyllis Yoshida, to present Croatia"s energy potential.
Minister Vrdoljak singled out two important projects: construction of an LNG terminal, and oil and gas exploration and exploitation, both in continental Croatia and in the Adriatic. "We received full support at the State Department. They said we were on the right track, both in law making and in energy policy," Minister Vrdoljak concluded.
Minister Gordan Maras and his associates during their visit to Washington, D.C. met with Senator Mark Begich (D-AL). They exchanged views on the bilateral relations between Croatia and the U.S., with special emphasis on economic relations. The Minister pointed out broadened business and investment possibilities in Croatia as a result of the new legal investment framework adopted recently by the Croatian government as well as the future plans of Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Crafts aimed at providing stronger incentives for companies following Croatia"s accession to the European Union on July 1 this year. Minister Maras used this opportunity to present to Senator Begich accents from this year"s Ron Brown Forum which was held in early April in Zadar, with the aim of strengthening business and investment potentials in Croatia and the region of South East Europe.
During his stay in the U.S., Minister Maras also met with State Department's Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Lorraine Hariton and had meetings at the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Minister Maras also met with representatives of the Croatian diaspora in Washington and in Cleveland.
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