Aigars Kalvītis goes on an official visit to Croatia

Today, July 20, Aigars Kalvītis, Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia, will go on an official visit to the Republic of Croatia following an invitation of Ivo Sanader, Prime Minister of Croatia. The visit will continue until July 25.

This will be the first visit of a Latvian Prime Minister to Croatia since regaining of independence of Latvia, and during the visit the first Latvian diplomatic mission will be opened in Croatia âÀ“ Honorary Consulate located in Zagreb.

Taking into consideration the growing interest of Latvian tourists about Croatia, during the visit a bilateral agreement will be signed on cooperation in the field of tourism. Citizens and non-citizens of Latvia can enter Croatia without a visa. The Latvian side will invite the government of Croatia to open a tourism bureau in the Baltic States located in RÄ«ga.

Together with the Prime Minister, a delegation of Latvian businessmen will go to Croatia. The businessmen will have meetings at the Croatian Chamber of Economy and the Privatization Fund, and will exchange contacts with local businessmen. Aigars Kalvītis and Latvian businessmen will meet Branko Vukelić, Minster for Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship of the Republic of Croatia, in order to discuss opportunities for cooperation in shipbuilding, food industry, construction sector and other areas.

The Prime Minister of Croatia has invited the Prime Minister of Latvia and Latvian businessmen to also visit regions of Croatia, meet representatives of local governments (Split, Trogir) and get acquainted with opportunities for tourism and individual sectors of the economy: infrastructure of ports, shipbuilding, road building, hotel industry and food industry.

Croatia is a candidate country of the European Union (EU) and NATO, and it welcomes political support of Latvia for its transatlantic integration and Latvian experience in EU and NATO integration. Experts from the Latvian Ministry of Defence are sharing experience within the framework of a bilateral cooperation plan (legal issues, environmental protection, naval forces, training of Croatian personnel in the Baltic Diving Training Centre, military police). Latvian experts have assisted in developing the Croatian national programme for integration in the European Union. Ministers for Culture of both countries have agreed on regular exchange of projects in the field of culture (sculpture, folk art, exchange between libraries and cultural education institutions).

Prime Minister Aigars Kalvītis will return to Latvia on Monday, July 25, in the afternoon.