KLOKIĆ: CHOCOLATE PRODUCTION IN GRADIŠKA AS OF NEXT YEAR

BANJA LUKA, OCTOBER 2 /SRNA/ – Republika Srpska Minister for European Integration and International Cooperation Zlatan Klokić said today that Austrian company STYX Naturcosmetic GmbH will establish a company in the Gradiška area which will, among other things, engage in chocolate production.

Klokić said that the owner of the Austrian company, Wolfgang Styx, had already launched the initiative and established a company in Republika Srpska with the aim of building a production facility in Gradiška, with an investment valued at approximately KM 1 million.

"The goal is to select a construction company that will carry out the works," Klokić told thenpress in Banja Luka after meeting with Styx.

He added that the Gradiška City Administration, as well as the line ministry, would provide everything necessary to accelerate the implementation of the investment

"The products of this company are 100 percent organic and based on natural ingredients. Therefore, I am sure that our local producers will also be able to cooperate successfully with this company. I expect this company to begin full-capacity production as early as next year," Klokić said.

Styx said that the company would initially produce chocolate at the new facility.

"We make it in Austria as well, and here we will produce it using local ingredients. We intend to employ at least 10 workers over the next two years and make significant investments," Styx stressed.

He emphasized that his company would also establish a distribution centrein Republika Srpska for its products covering the entire territory of the former Yugoslavia.

"We have positive cooperation with the line ministry and the local authorities in Gradiška, who have provided us with excellent business conditions," Styx said.

Gradiška Mayor Zoran Adžić expressed satisfaction with the investment, noting that the local community was open and well-equipped to attract new local and foreign investments.

"Mr. Styx will build a company in Nova Topola and will have our full support," Adžić said, adding that as many as 12 investments had been implemented in Topola, resulting in approximately 1,200 jobs.

Head of the Republika Srpska Representative Office in Austria Mladen Filipović said they had provided full support for the investment.

"We are pleased that this and numerous other Austrian investments are increasingly being implemented here because we are providing businesses with good operating conditions. Austria is becoming increasingly interested in economic cooperation with Republika Srpska," Filipović said.