Representatives of the Croatian government and some 30 Croatian companies held a meeting at the Economy Ministry on Monday to discuss possible investments and employment in the private sector, with Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor describing the meeting as useful and having resulted in a number of good proposals.

The issues in the focus of the talks were investments by the private sector in some 400 projects and the 30 major investments in the public sector presented recently by the government, employment in the context of investment and the Economic Recovery Programme, and the decisions made recently by the Croatian National Bank, PM Kosor said after the talks.

"We have concluded that there is no rivalry in this process, the Croatian National Bank works in the best interests of Croatia, the government too works in the country's best interests, as do the employers and the trade unions," Kosor said.

She said the meeting focused on concrete projects and employment in this year.

"The government believes that the number of unemployed people will continue to fall in 2011 and it will be providing a framework for investments."

She described the meeting as useful, adding that a similar meeting, with more participants, would be organised very soon.

Recalling the importance of completing EU entry talks and combating corruption, Kosor said that representatives of the corporate sector said there were now more problems with decision-making and signing of documents in public companies due to fear of problems related to corruption scandals.

She said that she would soon call a meeting with representatives of public companies, which would be attended by a representative of the Chief State Prosecutor's Office, so that agreement could be reached on what should be done.

"Everyone must do their job, if someone is having problem doing it, they have to say it so that we can find someone else willing to make decisions and concrete moves," Kosor said.

A member of the Management Board of the Agrokor concern, Gordan Radin, spoke of Agrokor's strategic investments which he said amounted to HRK 3.2 billion, with current investments amounting to HRK 780 million, and planned and other investments to HRK 1.3 billion.

Radin presented the goals of an initiative aimed at overcoming the crisis through work, the purpose of which is to make it possible for more young people to enter the labour market for a shorter period of time, until the start of the summer season.

"These are not seasonal jobs. The idea is for people to get a work contract. Our plan follows the measures by the Croatian National Bank and this is Agrokor's contribution to the labour market," said Radin.

He added that Agrokor planned to employ 700-1,000 people as part of the initiative, and that some of them could remain working for the concern.

The initiative has been supported by some companies, and it would be financed by the employers, Radin said, but could not say how many people other companies participating in the initiative planned to employ.

Asked why today's meeting was not attended by representatives of the Croatian Employers' Association, Economy Minister Djuro Popijac said many others did not attend the meeting either, adding that representatives of state institutions had not been invited, including representatives of the chambers of commerce and crafts.

Apart from PM Kosor, the meeting was attended by Deputy PM Domagoj Milosevic, who is in charge of investments, Agriculture Minister Petar Cobankovic, who is in charge of the economy, and Economy Minister Djuro Popijac.

Representing the corporate sector were executives from Koncar, Dalekovod, Ericsson Nikola Tesla, Agrokor, Atlantic Grupa, Viro, Zvecevo, Badel 1862, HT, Pliva, TDR, Vindija, Kutjevo, Dukat and others.