ZAGREB, April 22, 2018 – Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Minister Marija Pejčinović Burić held talks in Toronto on Saturday with her Canadian counterpart Chrystia Freeland, who expressed Canada’s full support to Croatia’s joining the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
“One of the topics of our talks was Canada’s support to Croatia’s joining the OECD. We explained Croatia’s current status and the minister promised her full support. This is very important to us,” Pejčinović Burić told the press.
The OECD is an organisation gathering the most developed countries in the world and currently numbers 35 member states.
The meeting with Freeland took place ahead of the meeting of the G7 foreign ministers to which Croatia was also invited.
Freeland and Pejčinović Burić also talked about bilateral relations, the role of Croatia and Canada when it comes to assisting Ukraine and the situation in Southeast Europe, notably Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Croatian minister said the two countries had excellent political relation while there was room for a stronger cooperation on the economic front. “The Croat community in Canada, which is very strong and influential, can help that,” Pejčinović Burić said, adding that Minister Freeland was well acquainted with the Croat community.
“Together with their capital and the interest they have in the development of bilateral relations, we in Croatia can do a lot to increase cooperation and trade though bilateral agreements, but also through the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA),” Pejčinović Burić said.
Freeland and Pejčinović Burić expressed satisfaction with statistical data for 2017 showing that the two countries’ trade amounted to more than 74 million dollars. According to those statistical figures, Croatia is becoming an increasingly interesting destination to Canadian tourists. Last year, 142,000 Canadians visited Croatia and their number will go up after Air Canada and Air Transat introduce direct seasonal flights, four times a week, from Toronto to Zagreb and back.
Pejčinović Burić also met with the CEO of the Imperial Bank of Canada, Viktor Dodig.
