Mesic stressed that despite the crisis, the Culture Ministry and Zagrebacki Velesajam secured free entrance to Interliber visitors.

The opening ceremony was attended, among others, by the president of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Zvonko Kusic, the president of the Croatian Authors' Association, Bozidar Petrac, and representatives of the Zagreb City Assembly and Mayor Milan Bandic.

Publishers from Croatia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Iran, Germany, Romania, the United States, Serbia and Great Britain will present their books in pavilions 5 and 6 of the Zagrebacki Velesajam fairground.

This year's Interliber fair will feature presentations, appearance of a large number of publishers and writers, as well as a rich programme of professional and accompanying events.

Organisers estimate that some 100,000 people will visit the fair.