On February 5, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov received Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds of the Republic of Croatia Branko Grchich, who had arrived in Ashgabat as the head of his country’s official delegation to participate in a regular meeting of the Intergovernmental Turkmen–Croatian Commission for Economic Cooperation and a joint business forum. In the course of the meeting, the President of Turkmenistan and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia exchanged opinions on the main areas of Turkmen-Croatian cooperation in the trade and economic sphere, given the potential available for an effective dialogue in different spheres. In this context, the agenda of the regular meeting of the bilateral Intergovernmental Commission, as well as the Turkmen–Croatian business forum in Ashgabat were the subject of interest-based discussion. As was noted, such business meetings, organized on a regular basis, act as a positive incentive for developing present-day forms of partnership and facilitate the implementation of agreements reached by the sides. In this connection, the energy sector, transport and communications sphere, construction, a number of branches of the industrial sector, including the machine-building and shipbuilding industries, in which some positive experience of interaction had been gained, were sorted out among the promising areas for cooperation. As is known, the “RO-PAX” class passenger-automobile ferry - “Berkarar”, intended to carry passengers, trucks and other vehicles, was constructed at “ULJANIK” Shipyard in the city of Pula, Croatia against the order of the State Sea and River Transport Service of Turkmenistan. Having highlighted a great interest of Croatia’s business circles in Turkmenistan, where the large-scale infrastructure projects are realized and favorable conditions are created for investment activity, the guest confirmed Croatian companies’ striving for expansion of their presence in the promising Turkmen market. In this context, it was highlighted that the upcoming visit of the President of Turkmenistan to the Republic of Croatia in the current year would give new impetus to the Turkmen-Croatian partnership advancement. During the meeting, the head of Turkmen state and Deputy Prime Minister also gave consideration to the issues of cooperation in the humanitarian field as an important component of the interstate relations, having noted availability of good opportunities for the intensification of fruitful contacts in science, education, culture as well as sport. There is a wide field for interaction in the tourist industry, development of which is of top priority for both countries. Having stressed that the running year is marked with the 20th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutral status, the leader of nation has invited his Croatian partners to participate in the events timed to this remarkable date.