The daily Jutarnji list publishes in its edition on 7 March an analysis of the Italian government’s recently unveiled “Strategic Plan for the Adriatic-Balkan Region,” produced by the Italian Directorate General for Country Promotion in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the increased expansion of Italian companies into the markets of Croatia, other former Yugoslav republics, as well as Albania, identifying Croatia's railways, renewable energy sources, gas pipelines, and municipal infrastructure as the most important investment targets.  “Croatia is traditionally a privileged economic and trade partner of our country. Starting from this solid base, there are numerous further opportunities for our companies in the Croatian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NPOO), in which EUR 9.9 billion has been secured, of which EUR 4.5 billion is intended for the construction of 750 kilometers of the railway network,” according to the Italian government’s ‘Strategic Plan for the Adriatic-Balkan Region’.The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has instructed as the first step the state agency SIMEST, which is the Italian export credit agency, to support the increased presence of Italian companies in the markets of the former Yugoslavia and Albania by around EUR 200 million. This support would be used for Italian companies' appearances at trade shows, promotional campaigns, investment conferences, and public tenders, and for the recapitalization of companies to enable them to enter targeted markets. The Italian government has a total of EUR 30 billion at its disposal for the "Adriatic-Balkan" region.In addition to investment in railways, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation also highlights investment opportunities in the Adriatic-Ionian gas pipeline, municipal infrastructure with a focus on water purification facilities, and renewable energy sources. The Danieli Group, which i an Italian supplier of equipment and physical plants to the metal industry, is cited as an example of a company that already has strong investment plans in Croatia, with a planned investment of EUR 350 million in city of Sisak.Former Croatian Ambassador to Italy Ivica Mastruko sees the Italian “Strategic Plan for the Adriatic-Balkan Region” as another political initiative aimed at this part of Europe. “We had, among others, the Initiative for Southeast Europe (SEE), before that the CEI, now there is the Open Balkans. So, there is no shortage of that, but without any tangible results,” said Mastruko for Jutarnji list. Although this is a business plan, Mastruko he still thinks it is an open question how much the plan will be embraced by Italian and other economies, and he emphasizes that it is still a political initiative and that “there is no one in Italian politics at the moment with the power to impose something on Italian industrialists.”As a start to the increased campaign of Italian companies in Croatia, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has announced a collaboration of The Italian Trade Agency (ICE) with the Konzum retail chain in the "Taste of Italy" campaign, which is expected to start in May this year. The Ministry noted that Italy became Croatia's most important trade partner in 2022. According to Croatian State Bureau of Statistics (DZS) data, in 2021 Croatian companies exported goods and services to Italy worth HRK 18 billion, and imports from the market there reached almost HRK 27 billion. Germany was still the main import market for the Croatian economy in 2021, with HRK 31.6 billion worth of imported goods and services, but the value of Croatian exports to Italy was still higher than exports to Germany in 2020, according to DZS data. (ICE ZAGABRIA)

Fonte notizia: JUTARNJI LIST online edition 7/3/2023