US, Croatia sign ‘open skies’ deal

The US and Croatia signed a deal paving the way for direct flights between the two countries, which officials said would boost tourism and economic ties.

At a ceremony in Washington, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Croatian deputy prime Minister and foreign minister Gordan Jandrokovic signed what is called the Open Skies Agreement, lifting restrictions on flights between the two countries.

“This will allow for an open travel corridor between our two countries, which will go a long way to increasing the flow of tourism to the beautiful country that Croatia is and creating new investment opportunities,” Ms Clinton said.

“We look forward to continuing our partnership and we look forward to Croatia’s prospective membership in the EU,” she said.

Mr Jandrokovic hailed the close ties between Washington and Croatia, which also involve an increased Croatian contribution to the US-led military coalition in Afghanistan.

“We look forward to developing a stronger economic partnership with the US,” Mr Jandrokovic said. “And I am convinced that our signing of the Open Skies Agreement today will result in direct flights between Croatia and the US and lead to increased tourism opportunities for both of our countries,” he said. He added: It is our hope that American investors will find numerous opportunities for investment in Croatia in areas such as tourism, energy, transport, and water management.”