he inaugural visit paid by H.E. Mayong Onon, who has been the ambassador of Malaysia to the Republic of Croatia since October last year, was an opportunity to open a number of topics of common importance with the aim of strengthening cooperation between Malaysia and Croatia, i.e. Rijeka.

Mayor Filipović and H.E. Ambassador Mayong Onon

The Mayor of Rijeka, Filipović, presented the development possibilities of Rijeka, where a large number of public and private investments that will change the face of the city are currently underway or are planned. Investments primarily concern economic, transport and tourist infrastructure, such as the construction of the Zagreb Deep Sea Container terminal, road and railway infrastructure and the development of the most modern nautical marina in Croatia.

Rijeka was presented by the director of the Rijeka Tourist Board, Petar Škarpa, as a tourist destination where tourist numbers have been growing at a rate of 20% per year for the past five years.

Ambassador Mayong Onon said that he was well acquainted with the potential of Rijeka as the largest Croatian port and the strategic position of the city on the map of Europe and the world, and thus the possibilities of developing the movement of Malaysian goods through the port of Rijeka, connecting Croatian and Malaysian businessmen and developing tourism. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the ambassador emphasised, about 30,000 Malaysian tourists had visited Croatia annually, with the potential to return to pre-pandemic numbers and their growth.

Ambassador Mayong Onon particularly emphasised interest in the participation of Malaysian groups in the Rijeka Carnival, which could become part of this great manifestation as early as next year.

H.E. Mayong Onon paid visit to Rijeka accompanied by his advisor Sharmini Devi Gopal and his associate Jasmin Džaferović.