The workforce is and will be one of the key issues of Croatia's economy in the years ahead, so it is necessary to find a model to stimulate workers to stay in the country, a panel on the Croatian economy heard on Monday.
The panel was held at the central bank as part of the launch of the Croatian edition of the “The Economist: The World in 2020” magazine.
Dragan Kovacevic, Board chairman of the JANAF oil pipeline operator, said that in order to enter the developed zone and rise from the EU’s bottom, Croatia’s economic growth target must be 5%.
We will have to create an industry which carries growth and development rates of 5%, he said, adding that no one was saying which industry that was.
Fortenova Group CEO Fabris Perusko said the group would retain the lead position in retail next year, that the Konzum chain had recovered very well, and that Fortenova’s focus was on retail, food and beverage production, and agricultural production.
Perusko said it was necessary to find a model to stimulate workers to stay in Croatia and a model to facilitate investment.
Croatian Tourism Association director Veljko Ostojic said the issue of the workforce and its quality was and would be a key issue in tourism. He called for reducing the VAT rate on tourism to 10%, saying it would enable pay growth and keep workers from emigrating. He added that salaries in tourism in Austria and Slovenia were much higher.
Niko Dalic, a member of oil company INA’s Board, said companies could be faced with a quality workforce shortage in production in 7-8 years’ time. He added that INA planned to invest 17 billion kuna in the next five years in exploration and exploitation as well as in refineries.
He said 4 billion kuna would be invested in the Rijeka refinery and that the plan was to sign a contract already this year. He added that by 2023, the refinery would be one of the most modern in Europe, generating an additional 1 billion kuna in EBITDA.
Dalic said the Sisak refinery would be converted into a modern logistics centre.
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