Vukovar Business Forum – G2.12 Meeting: A New Step Forward Toward Investment and Economic Development
The City of Vukovar will host the inaugural Vukovar Business Forum from May 21 to 23. Organized by the City of Vukovar, the Vukovar Economic Zone, and the Meeting G2 association, the conference will gather investors, entrepreneurs, and representatives of the Croatian diaspora to strengthen economic development, showcase investment potential, and create new business opportunities.
Vukovar Mayor Marijan Pavliček emphasized that the forum aims to open a new chapter in the city’s development. “The economy is the driver of development and the foundation of independence, including for the city of Vukovar. Through this Business Forum, our goal is to present the numerous benefits Vukovar offers to investors. Many are unaware that the city provides a range of tax reliefs and benefits compared to other cities, thanks to the Act on the City of Vukovar and its status as an area of special state concern, alongside its exceptional geographical position,” the mayor stated.
He specifically highlighted Vukovar’s transport and logistics advantages—an international river port, and proximity to an airport, highways, and railway infrastructure—making the city competitive and attractive for investment. “I believe this forum will attract potential investors who will recognize the city’s advantages and that some will open manufacturing plants in Vukovar in the future. The goal is to create the prerequisites for new jobs, primarily in the manufacturing sector, so that the people of Vukovar can work in their own city,” the mayor said, adding that the intention is for the Forum to become a traditional annual event held every May, immediately following Vukovar City Day.
Antun Krešimir Buterin, President of the Meeting G2 association, noted that their initiative has been connecting homeland and diaspora Croatians for 12 years, taking place in a different city each year to stimulate local development. “For 12 years, we have been connecting domestic and emigrant Croatia. Every year, Meeting G2 is held in a different city. We were in Zagreb, then in Sisak where we wanted to help the Banovina region after the earthquake, and then in Novska, where the focus was on new technologies. This year, Vukovar is the host, and together with the City, we have analyzed all its potential—from agriculture and tourism zones to the Port of Vukovar. The opportunities are numerous,” Buterin pointed out.
He stressed the objective of integrating global experience and knowledge with local potential. “By bringing in the Croatian business diaspora, we want to open new perspectives for the local community and demonstrate that Vukovar is much more than a great victim—it is a city with serious economic potential,” he stated.
Deputy Mayor Filip Sušac explained the forum’s concept, noting it combines both an exhibition and a conference component. “The Business Forum brings fresh momentum and new energy to the city of Vukovar. The event is divided into two parts: an exhibition segment where companies can present their operations, and a conference segment featuring panels and keynote discussions. We already have several high-quality names among the panelists, and I believe this Forum will generate positive outcomes for the city,” Sušac said.
He added that one of the primary goals is to position Vukovar on the economic map of Croatia and beyond. “The most important thing is to put the city of Vukovar on the economic map. Through our cooperation with the Meeting G2 association, we want to further connect our diaspora and show what we can and want to do in the city. Every conference delivers the most valuable asset in the business world—networking—and that is exactly the foundation of future cooperation and investments,” Sušac concluded.
The Vukovar Business Forum represents an important step in further positioning the city as an investment-open and economically promising environment, with the clear goal of creating stable, long-term development opportunities for the citizens of Vukovar.