As part of the preparations for the forthcoming Regional Economic Forum of the member states of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) zone, a number of meetings have been held in Zagreb, Skopje, Tuzla, Sarajevo and Podgorica. It has also been confirmed that most of the delegations from the countries participating in the Forum will be headed by ministers or deputy ministers of economy, while Bosnia and Herzegovina will also be presented by the Prime Minister of the Federation, Dr. Nedzad Brankovic, and the Vice President of the Government of Republika Srpska, Jasna Brkic. The Forum will be opened by either the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Dr. Ivo Sanader, or the Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister, Damir Polancec. The gathering will also be addressed by Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic.

The representatives of the academic community will be headed by one of Croatia's top economists and former Governor of the Croatian National Bank, Prof. Dr. Ante Cicin-Sain, while the business community will be presented by the most successful businessmen of the region.

"In this preparatory period, most of the participants agree that promoting regional cooperation is an economic and trade priority of today. The countries of the Western Balkans, which are not EU member states, will join the European family and secure a better standard of living for their citizens and open market and better conditions for doing business for their businessmen fastest via social and economic transformation and development of the region," said Fuad Turapic, Vice President of the Program Board of the International Business Forum "PERSPECTIVES" - one of the Forum's organizers.

The Regional Economic Forum of the CEFTA zone member states will be held in Zagreb on 13-15 November 2008 under the auspices of the Government of the Republic of Croatia. Its main sponsor is Zagreb Holding.

The Macedonian Information Centre (MIC) is the media sponsor of the REF CEFTA.