The topics discussed during the reception held in the premises of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, included, among others, enhanced cooperation between the two countries, especially in the context of the development of smart cities and regions.

After the meeting, Mayor Marko Filipović pointed out that the inaugural visit paid by Ambassador Thomas had further strengthened excellent cooperation with the British Embassy. “We discussed the topics related to economic cooperation, primarily in pharmaceuticals, ship design, shipbuilding and tourism. During his stay in Rijeka, the Ambassador met with representatives of institutions and economic life in Rijeka, as well as representatives of non-governmental organisations. We will be happy to welcome the Ambassador in our city in the future”, said Filipović.

The topics discussed included further co-operation between the City and the County with Great Britain

Ambassador Simon Thomas pointed out that his priority was to be an ambassador present throughout the country, not just in Zagreb. “This first official visit is an opportunity to get to know better this area, its citizens, and also to explore the possibilities of strengthening cooperation and ties with Great Britain. I am impressed with how much the County and the City are working to strengthen education, science, new technologies and business. I also had an opportunity to learn about your rich history, and the similarity between Rijeka and cities like Glasgow and Liverpool is noticeable, with a lot of room for cooperation, especially in the field of smart cities, “said Ambassador Thomas.

Mayor Zlatko Komadina said that at the meeting they had also discussed increase in trade between Croatia and Great Britain. “Cooperation in this field is good, but it can and should be better. We also talked about increasing tourist traffic by strengthening air connections with the UK. When we talk about air transport, through cooperation of the Kvarner Tourist Board and Rijeka Airport on Krk, we are putting efforts to increase the number of lines and destinations, both through cooperation with Croatia Airlines and by including some low-cost airlines,” said Komadina.

Ambassador Thomas is on a two-day official visit to Rijeka and the County on 7 and 8 February, during which he held a series of meetings with representatives of Rijeka and County Development Agencies, the University, the Archdiocese and the NGO sector.