Minister Grlić Radman wraps up official visit to New Zealand in Auckland

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman wrapped up his official visit to New Zealand on Saturday in Auckland, where he met with Attorney General and Minister of Defence Judith Collins, Minister of Police Mark Mitchell, Minister for Ocean and Fisheries, Regional Development and Resources Shana Jones, MP Tanya Unkovich, businessman Peter Simunovich, and honorary consul Leo Panzich.
 
In his address, Grlić Radman welcomed Croatia’s inclusion in the plan for negotiations on the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement next year. “This is great news, because it is a vital agreement that will help businesspeople the most. It will strengthen cooperation and communication in business, improve ties between the business community and help Croats returning to Croatia,” he said.
 
Speaking about the challenging times caused by the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East, the minister underscored that partnerships and cooperation with countries with which we shared the same views were more important than ever. He said that Croatia had come a long way from independence and aggression to full European and Euro-Atlantic integration, and was ready to transfer experiences and continue to provide all forms of assistance.
 
“Croatia stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people, stands firm in its support for Ukraine and will continue to help in the future, both bilaterally and with international partners,” Grlić Radman stressed.  
 
The minister awarded Croatian citizenship to 21 persons at the Croatian Cultural Society, the largest Croatian association in New Zealand that has been active since 1991. “The Croatian community in New Zealand is well-organized and active, it has done a lot for Croatia and continues to do so. Our unity has never been more visible than during the hardest of times, such as the Homeland War and the fight for international recognition, or the devastating earthquakes of 2020,” he underlined.
 
Grlić Radman also pointed out that Croatia is one of only 15 countries in the world that is a member of NATO and the EU, and more recently of the Schengen Area and the eurozone. “Croatia, which 30 years ago was not even on the world map as an independent country, has become one of the most developed countries in just three decades. We particularly appreciate and value ​​the contribution of Croats abroad on this path,” the minister emphasized at a meeting with the Croatian community.

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