11/2007

TORONTO, 7 February 2007

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Peter Cobankovic, began his official Canadian visit at a meeting with the Croatian Community in Toronto on February 7th, 2007.
 

On the first day of the Minister’s visit to Canada, accompanied by Ambassador Vesela Mrden Korac, General Consul Mario Livaja and co-workers, State Secretary Zdravko Krmek and Senior Advisor Ivanka Drmić, Minister Cobankovic met with the Croatian Community at the Croatia Club. The Minister presented the current situation in Croatia and emphasized on the sector of agriculture. In regards to the negotiations of the Republic of Croatia and the EU, he informed the community of the advantages that Croatia expects upon entering the European Nation and underlined how Croatia has the opportunity of using funding from the EU development funds, even before being officially a fully pledged member of EU. 
While asking many questions to the Minister, the community illustrated interest in their involvement in the Croatian economy, the possibility in export of processed food, wood and other manufactured products to the Canadian market as well as the advantages of investing in the Republic of Croatia.  

On the following day, Minister Cobankovic will have a bilateral meeting in Ottawa with the federal Minister of the Department of Agriculture Canada, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Canada and also intends to meet with high level officials from the federal Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The Minster will be presented to the Members of Parliament in the House of Commons during the actual Parliamentary Question Period.