Russian entrepreneurs in Croatia have the same conditions as the other, and in Russia two years without tax

Croatian president Ivo Josipović in exclusive interview for Kommersant, published by Russian news, talks about investment climate and business possibilities of Russians in Croatia pointing out that Russian investors have the same terms as Croatian.

Josipović, talks about economy crisis that last few years shakes Croatia as well, so the decrease in GDP is constant as well as unemployment which reached around 20%. Talking about foreign investments, Croatian president pointed out that the main income of investments comes from the countries which are traditionally Croatian partners: Germany, Austria, Italy, Netherlands, Hungary. Russian investments in Croatia till todayare in the amount of 87 million euro, which is less than 1% of all foreign investments in Croatia. From positive examples of Russian investments in Croatia is buying of Split’s North harbour by Dmitrij Železnjak. LUKOIL, for few years now, successfully works in Croatia, and among investments in tourism one name stand out Andrej Soroko with the buying of hotel in Dramalj.

Even though few Russian entrepreneurs, such as metallurgical group Mečel, faced with administrative obstacles, president Josipović thinks that in Croatia there is good will to solve these questions and for investments to realize, and says that the Russians are gladly seen guests in Croatia like tourists as well as investors.

“According to the law all domestic and foreign investors in Republic of Croatia work under the same terms. The only restrictions for domestic and foreign investors is that some natural strategic resources such as forests, water sources, sea, coast and certain real estates are not for sale. I think that tourism, metallurgy, Food industry and energetics have the biggest potential for investing in Croatia. There are many interesting areas, but the investors themselves will evaluate that”, as it was said by Josipović.

At the same time, Russian prime minister Dimitrij Medvedev says that from next year any Russian individual entrepreneur in Russia , who register business for the first time, will be real released of all taxes for two years. This measure it as an answer on massive departure of legal entrepreneurs. From the beginning of year till today due to increase in rate of insurance for 2%, 450 000 entrepreneurs signed out.