"We discussed cooperation in agriculture and economy, as well as in tourism since German visitors accounted for the most overnight stays in Croatia last year," Kosor said after the talks, adding that Croatia would do its best to attract even more German tourists.

She stressed that they discussed concrete plans for the promotion of cooperation in the area of ecological farming, expressing hope that German investments in that area would increase.

Kosor described her talks with Bruederle as very constructive.

The German minister, who is a member of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), said he would attend the business forum in Zagreb.

He underlined the importance of Croatia making the most of European Union funds in its economic development.

We must learn from the bad experience with Romania and Bulgaria, when those funds were not used sufficiently, and we must not allow that to happen with Croatia, said Bruederle.

He said that the Zagreb forum would focus on the development of small and medium businesses and agriculture.

Bruederle said that the use of renewable energy sources, such as wind, could play a bigger role in Croatia.

After meeting with the German economy minister, PM Kosor held a lecture on Croatia's experience in overcoming the global financial and economic crisis at the Konrad Adenauer foundation.

Earlier in the day, Kosor met Chancellor Angela Merkel and other German officials.