Croatian exports to Georgia rise 150% as President Milanović opens business forum in Tbilisi

(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia/ Marko Beljan)

Economic ties between Croatia and Georgia are gaining momentum, with Croatian exports to Georgia rising by nearly 150% between 2021 and 2024, President Zoran Milanović said at the opening of the Croatia–Georgia Business Forum in Tbilisi.

The forum, organised by the Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia and the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was held as part of President Zoran Milanović’s official two-day visit to Georgia.

Addressing Croatian and Georgian business leaders, Milanović underlined that the meeting was far more than a side event to high-level political talks.

“Your meeting here is not merely a supplementary event. You are dealing with important, some would say key, issues that should form the strong foundations of Croatian–Georgian relations,” he said.

(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia/ Marko Beljan)

Stronger Foundations for Economic Cooperation

While economic cooperation between the two countries remains modest, indicators point to significant untapped potential. President Milanović expressed satisfaction with the upward trade trend, particularly the strong growth in Croatian exports over the past three years.

“Croatia is interested in further expanding and strengthening existing economic ties. They must and can be better, stronger and closer,” he said.

He noted that the presence of leading Croatian companies in the Georgian market provides confidence for future growth. Among them are Končar, Podravka, Kraš, Franck and Sano.

Milanović expressed hope that meetings held in Tbilisi, and in the future in Zagreb, would translate into measurable improvements in economic indicators and overall bilateral trade.

(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia/ Marko Beljan)

Strong Georgian Interest

Interest from the Georgian business community was evident, with representatives of nearly 70 Georgian companies attending the forum. Among them were Tbilisi Free Zone, Geosteel LLC, AgroKiziki, LLC Nexa Distribution, Daily Group and Gorgia.

Georgia’s Minister of Economy, Mariam Kvrivishvili, also attended the event, underlining the importance both sides attach to strengthening business ties.

President Milanović stressed that the European Union remains Croatia’s strategic foreign policy orientation and sets the framework for its economic policy. However, he also emphasised the importance of strengthening partnerships beyond the EU.

“There is a world beyond the European Union,” he said, adding that Croatia’s economic interests clearly include intensifying cooperation with partners outside the bloc, including Georgia.

He praised Georgia’s recent economic performance, noting continuous and accelerated growth in recent years, maintained macroeconomic stability and promising prospects for continued expansion. This, he said, is particularly significant given external challenges such as disruptions to regional trade, logistics and energy flows caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia/ Marko Beljan)

Highlighting similarities between the two countries, Milanović pointed out that small and open economies are naturally oriented towards international cooperation in order to secure economies of scale for their companies.

“The lack of size can and must be compensated through mutually beneficial cooperation,” he said, adding that such cooperation includes increased private investment, knowledge transfer, systematic improvements and higher productivity, all key to improving quality of life.

Reflecting on the broader global context, the President noted that uncertainty and risk have rarely been as intense in the global economy as they are today. Nevertheless, he concluded that economic relations ultimately depend not only on political goodwill but on direct collaboration between entrepreneurs and companies.