The event was opened by President Ivo Josipovic, who said, among other things, that the global economic crisis was a serious obstacle to development.

The incumbent government and the next one, regardless of which political parties will form it, must direct all its forces on countering current negative trends such as unemployment, the high foreign debt and illiquidity, Josipovic said.

ZV director Mirela Bartolec said that this was the first time the Zagreb Trade Fair was structured according to market demand and the preferences of exhibitors and visitors. The newly opened autumn trade exhibitions are intended for the public, while on September 27-30 the Zagreb Trade Fair Centre will host ZG7 - the Zagreb Business Week, an event intended exclusively for the business community, she said.

The new trade fair scheme has kept the traditional project Partner-Country, and this year the partner country at joint exhibitions is Poland.