Croatian officials urge reform to halt downward trend on global competitiveness

Croatian Agriculture Minister Tihomir Jakovina said on Wednesday Croatia's downward on global competitiveness rankings meant there was a lot of work ahead for the government.

In the World Economic Forum's latest Global Competitiveness Report for 2014-15, Croatia was ranked 77th among 144 countries, sliding two places from last year. The country saw a downward trend in the previous seven years, Croatian News Agency reported.

Jakovina said everything must be done in the areas such as tax levies and the slow bureaucracy at all levels to enable the real sector and investments to be as efficient as possible.

Croatia's National Competitiveness Council (NVK) Chairman Ivica Mudrinic said the situation required reform of the public section and more encouragement to innovations.

The main negative factors affecting Croatia's competitiveness stemmed from the public sector, he added.

"We must launch reforms in the sector which worst halts investments," Mudrinic said.

He urged an overhaul of the public administration, public politics and the national tax policy.