Croatia Moves up WEF List of Most Competitive Economies

Croatia has moved up the World Economic Forum’s latest competitive nation rankings, ending five years of steady decline down the list. Croatia has achieved its highest position on the list since 2007 with a 75th spot ranking (148 nations) in the most competitive economies in the world list.

Croatia’s jump of 6 places since the World Economic Forum’s last report more than 6 months ago has pleased the National Competitive Council in Croatia, but they still say there is more work to be done.

“After five years of decline, the trend for Croatia is now positive. But, we are far away from our goal we set in 2007 to be amongst the top 60 most competitive economies in the world, and to eventually be amongst the top 40,” said the council’s president Ivica Mudrinić to daily Jutarnji list.

Croatian Ministers are also not cracking open the champagne just yet, using diving metaphors to explain the situation. “Before we could not even emerge with help from a gas bottle, but now we can breathe through a snorkel. I’m an optimistic. The government does not need pessimists in it . Pessimism can strengthen one industry – Pharmaceutical and sales of antidepressants. Croatia should be optimistic and reduce sales of antidepressants,”said Deputy Prime Minister Branko Grčić.

Switzerland, Singapore, Finland, Germany, USA and Sweden make up the lists top five, with Burundi, Yemen and Sierra Leone the bottom three.