- Published: 26.05.2015.
Pusić to honorary consuls: Five of 15 European energy priorities in Croatia
“This is a win-win situation: successful cooperation for your country means successful cooperation for Croatia,” said First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić at the Second Conference of Croatian Honorary Consuls
“This is a win-win situation: successful cooperation for your country means successful cooperation for Croatia,” said First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić at the Second Conference of Croatian Honorary Consuls held at the MFEA.
Pusić recalled that since joining the EU Croatia had begun to turn towards new economic areas and less traditional partners, such as the countries of the Southern Mediterranean, Central Asia and Latin America. “You are the ones who, especially in countries with no Croatian embassies, are paving the way for diplomats, businessmen and people who simply want to travel, be it for tourist, academic, artistic or scientific purposes,” Pusić said.
She underlined that Croatia, who is finally coming out of recession after six years, was seeing a rise in industrial production. Apart from investments in tourism, she noted the growing pharmaceutical, food, metal, tool, machine and construction industry, adding that we had strong and recognizable companies in all of these areas.
“We are a small country, but that can work to our advantage,” Pusić said, underscoring Croatia’s positioning on the energy map given that we not only can become energetically independent, but through source diversification we could provide energy and stability to countries in the region, whose EU membership we are actively advocating.
In that regard, Pusić highlighted three main projects: the Krk LNG terminal, pipeline from Azerbaijan and researching our own energy sources in the Adriatic. She added that of the 15 European energy priorities, five were in Croatia, including the LNG terminal and gas links to Serbia and Bosnia. Pusić underlined the importance of a stable region, as that is what attracts investors in the end. She also recalled Croatia’s initiative for Bosnia, backed by Great Britain and Germany, which has helped the country kick start EU talks after six years. “We are in a good place and these are promising times. Working with you will help us to implement projects and create new opportunities,” Pusić said at the end of the meeting.