GDP growth, tax reform and increase in exports are some of the economic goals of the People’s Coalition.
The People’s Coalition (SDP, HNS, HSS, HSU) has presented an ambitious manifesto for the parliamentary elections. Under the title “Safe Direction for Croatia”, it contains their plans for the period until 2020. They promise better business environment, as well as an increase in exports, investments and employment, and a re-launch of curriculum reform, reports Lider on August 5, 2016.
How do they plan to change Croatia? HNS president and former Economy Minister Ivan Vrdoljak explained this in a recent interview. If the People’s Coalition comes to power after the elections, Vrdoljak will certainly be one of the top people in the government, presumably the Deputy Prime Minister.
“The focus will be on the further growth of GDP, tax reform which will allow for an increase in salaries, investment increase and export growth. These are the most important economic guidelines of the coalition manifesto. The growth of investments and exports, which the state will support, has to create new jobs. The manifesto sets out specific, measurable targets in all sectors and this will enable us, in our new term in government, to monitor whether we are on the right path to make Croatia a better place to live. We will continue where we left off… while avoiding the colossal failures of the experimental government of MOST and HDZ”, said Vrdoljak.
He noted that the emigration of people from Croatia needs to be reversed. “Our key problems are related to the ease of finding jobs and wages. There are four key sectors in the industrial strategy, and I believe that is the right setup. Today, we see that pharmaceutical industry is growing, ICT is growing, as well as the electrical and metal processing industry. If strategic sectors are strengthened with an increase in productivity and bigger investments, I believe that it is possible to transform Croatia into a European country that will be a net exporter. However, when it comes to a sufficient number of competitive workers for all the planned investments, I think the biggest challenge for the new government will be to better connect the education system and economy”, said Vrdoljak
