Speaking at a meeting of the Croatian Economists' Association, Popijac said that private investors were interested in tourism, including the construction of golf courses, however, such projects were opposed by various associations.

Speaking of investment projects that were meeting with opposition from local communities, the minister mentioned the example of the Danish Rockwool company. A business zone was established, investors were attracted and then everything was done to prevent them from working, he said, adding that last week the government decided to finance the construction of a 300-metre access road so that Rockwoool could obtain an operating permit.

Popijac presented a catalogue of 30 investment projects, covering the power industry, tourism, water management and transport infrastructure.

Speaking of the shipbuilding sector, he said that the estimated accumulated debt of Croatia's state-owned shipyards amounted to HRK 10 billion.

Discussions about whether potential buyers that are interested in buying the shipyards are the best possible ones are inappropriate, considering the situation in the global shipbuilding industry, Popijac said, expressing confidence that plans for the restructuring of shipyards that were submitted to the European Commission would be approved.

If the plans for the restructuring of shipyards are adopted, the Competition Policy negotiating chapter can be closed as regards the section on the shipyard industry, and there remain the issues of the Zeljezara Split steelworks and Croatian Radio and Television (HRT), Popijac said, adding that the government on Thursday sent to parliament for consideration a bill on the HRT, adjusted to EU benchmarks.