Memorandum of Agreement on the Annual Meeting signed between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the EBRD

The Memorandum of Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) regarding the EBRD Annual Meeting that will take place in Zagreb, on 14th and 15th May 2010, was signed in Zagreb today. The Memorandum was signed by the Vice-President of the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Minister of Finance Ivan Šuker and the EBRD Secretary General Enzo Quattrociocche.

After Croatia had applied to host the 2010 Annual Meeting of the European Bank for Reconstruction and development (EBRD), the EBRD Board of Directors, at its session on 29th April 2008, accepted the application which was then accepted by all the Governors of the Bank as well. Taking over the organization of the Annual Meeting is a great acknowledgement of Croatia as a country having exceptionally good cooperation with the EBRD and also an event significant in political, economic and social sense. About 2000 people from political and business community from over 60 European and other countries are going to participate in the Meeting: 63 official delegations of the EBRD members (usually headed by the minister of finance), business guests (bankers, investors), other various high-ranking invitees (professors, lecturers, representatives of other international financial institutions etc.) and representatives of civil society (NGO) and other organizations.

The most important events, the essence itself of the Annual Meeting, are the Board of Governors sessions and the Business Forum within which a half-day Host Investment Forum shall also take place. It is an exquisite opportunity for Croatia to represent its market and to attract the representatives of numerous international financial institutions and of commercial banks as investors. In addition, some other events are going to take place within the Annual Meeting, such as Civil Society Programmes, the EBRD Donors' Meeting, official delegations bilateral meetings, Signing Ceremonies, Reception for all Participants, Spouses' Programme and many others.

The Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Croatian Government is responsible for the cooperation with the EBRD and thus for the organization of the EBRD Annual Meeting. Since the organization of the Meeting is a very demanding and responsible task, the Memorandum of Agreement was signed defining the responsibilities of both parties.

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