site.btaFinance Minister Velkova Takes Part in Conference on Croatia's Entry in Eurozone in Zagreb

Finance Minister Rositsa Velkova took part in a conference on Croatia's eurozone membership in Zagreb.  She was invited to attend by the Croatian government, the Bulgarian Finance Ministry reported on Tuesday. 

Among the participants in the forum were European Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni, and other representatives of European institutions, governments, and central banks. The speakers representing Croatia and European institutions put an emphasis on the euro as an instrument for improving citizens' wellbeing. The Croatian Finance Minister described the common currency as a shield in times of crisis. Dombrovskis said that through its full EU integration, Croatia has the opportunity to attract more investment, economic security, and better competitiveness. 

After the forum, Velkova held a meeting with Croatian Chief State Inspector Andrija Mikulic. They discussed the Croatian authorities' actions in protection of consumers, which include measures against ungrounded increase of prices of goods and services and against unfair trade practices. Such were observed after the introduction of the euro as the official currency in Croatia. It was noted that sanctions should be based on a balance between protecting consumer interests and observing market principles.  

Minister Velkova also held a meeting with European Commission Representation in Croatia head Ognian Zlatev. They discussed current topics in the context of Bulgaria's preparation for the eurozone.