Representatives of the Board of Directors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are starting their first virtual country visit today. The consultation will allow the shareholder representatives to meet with policymakers, businesses and civil society organisations.
It will be the first country visit by the EBRD Board in a virtual format, developed to overcome current travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The EBRD is leveraging digital platforms, which have profoundly reshaped ways of working and international relations over the past year.
On behalf of the host country Croatia, György Barcza, Director for Hungary, Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Croatia and Georgia, will welcome
the Directors:
- José Brito, Director for Portugal, Greece, San Marino, India
- Eva Cassel, Director for Sweden, Iceland, Estonia
- Sarah Fountain Smith, Director for Canada, Morocco, Jordan, Tunisia
- Çağatay İmirgi, Director for Turkey, Romania, Azerbaijan, Moldova, the Kyrgyz Republic
- Michael Offer, Director for Germany
- Patrick Walsh, Director for Ireland, Denmark, Lithuania, Kosovo
and Alternate Directors:
- Wioletta Barwicka-Lofthouse, Alternate Director for Bulgaria, Poland, Albania
- Pablo Gasós, Alternate Director for Spain, Mexico
- Philip Lindsay, Alternate Director for Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt
- Ilkka Räisänen, Alternate Director for Norway, Finland, Latvia, Lebanon
- Jan Willem van den Wall Bake, Alternate Director for the Netherlands, China, Mongolia, North Macedonia, Armenia.
The EBRD Board representatives will meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Zdravko Marić, who is also EBRD Governor, State Secretaries Željko Uhlir and Sanja Bošnjak, National Bank Governor Boris Vujčić, representatives of the banking sector, utilities and private-sector clients. The Directors will participate in a roundtable with the World Bank Group, the European Investment Bank and HBOR (the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development).
The discussions will focus on efforts to overcome the coronavirus pandemic and on support for the Croatian economy, and will also include an update on the situation following the two earthquakes that recently hit the country within a short period of time. Investments in renewable energy and development of comprehensive urban regeneration solutions are the focus areas where the EBRD can offer considerable expertise and policy advice.
To date, the Bank has invested €4 billion in 226 projects in Croatia, focusing on supporting efforts to accelerate the reform process, leveraging the benefits of EU accession to advance economic transition and restructuring, and commercialising public-sector enterprises.