H.E. Mr Juha Ottman has been appointed the new Ambassador of Finland to Croatia since 1 May 2010. Here's the interview from Nordic News by the Chamber of Commerce in Zagreb.
1. You have been in Zagreb, Croatia for more than a month now. What are your impressions so far?
My impressions of Croatia and Zagreb are very positive and this did not come as a surprise to me. I knew what to expect as I have visited Croatia on several occasions in my previous capacity as the Director for EU Enlargement and Western Balkans in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. I also visited Croatia often while I was posted in Belgrade at the end of 1990’s.
People in Croatia are very friendly and welcoming. Zagreb is also a very lively city with a rich cultural life, beautiful architecture and nature. Croatia has been blessed with such natural diversity, which is very rare in Europe. Politically and economically, Croatia is also experiencing a dynamic period as it is entering the final phase of the EU accession negotiations.
2. How would you describe Croatian-Finnish relations? What areas are most covered and what areas should be given more attention?
Croatian-Finnish relations are excellent and there are no open issues between the two countries. Finland is a strong supporter of Croatia’s integration into the European Union, which we have also supported bilaterally. On the political level, the past year has been extremely busy with high level visits; Prime Minister Kosor visited Finland in April, Minister of Justice Brax visited Croatia in March, Foreign Minister Stubb in February and President Halonen last September. This provides a good basis for my future work in Croatia.
However, there is still plenty of room for improvement in terms of economic and cultural relations between our two countries. In particular, I would like to see more business to business contacts.
3. What areas will be the focus of your work in Croatia and what objectives would you personally like to fulfil during your mandate?
The Embassy of Finland will continue to follow very closely the final phase of Croatia’s EU accession negotiations and the phasing-in period before accession. One of the highlights of my mandate in Croatia will be the accession of Croatia into the EU. I see my work gradually shifting more towards building a partnership and coalition with the 28th EU Member State, and exploring possibilities for increased co-operation both at the bilateral and at the EU levels.
As I mentioned earlier, increasing our economic relations is one of the priorities for me and my team in the Embassy. We need to increase the awareness of Croatia’s market potential and opportunities for Finnish business. I am happy to work with the Nordic Chamber of Commerce to this end.
In addition, Finland could contribute more expertise in the fields of education and research. Finland invests substantial amounts of human and financial resources in these important sectors.
4. How do you see Croatian-Finnish relations in near future and what are your expectations?
In the future, I see excellent relations between two EU Member States. Finland and Croatia are both relatively small countries and comparable in population. I think we can learn from each other. Finland is ready to share her experiences from the EU, as well as from Nordic and Baltic co-operation. On the other hand, I believe that Croatia can play a constructive role in the region and become a springboard for Finnish business in South-Eastern Europe.
