Minister Gordan Jandroković participated in Bratislava in expanded meeting of Visegrad Group’s foreign ministers, European Commission and Belgian representatives, and Southeast European countries’ foreign ministers

The meeting discussed the priorities and activities of Slovakia’s presidency over the Visegrad Group

The meeting discussed the priorities and activities of Slovakia’s presidency over the Visegrad Group and saw the exchange of opinions about the political, economic and institutional reforms in the countries of South Eastern Europe. One of the priorities, as was pointed out, is the support for Croatia’s closing of the EU negotiations in 2011, as well as the signing and ratification of the Accession Treaty. The Visegrad Group members also confirmed their support for the other countries in the region in their Euro-integration processes. In regard to NATO’s continued enlargement, the members expressed their dedication to continuing the “open door policy” for the countries in the region, aimed at achieving full security and stability in Europe’s southeast.

Minister Jandroković thanked Slovakian Foreign Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda for organizing the meeting as an opportunity to contribute through dialogue to the development of South Eastern Europe and its EU perspective. He expressed special gratitude to the Slovakian presidency for the Visegrad Group’s support for the signing and ratification of the Treaty of Accession between Croatia and the EU. Congratulating the member countries on their successful cooperation during the last 20 years, the minister also thanked them for the cooperation and exchange of opinions with Croatia, namely in regard to its accession negotiations.

Minister Jandroković informed the present ministers about the status of Croatia’s EU talks, pointing out that Croatia, with all of the chapters opened and two thirds of them closed, had entered the final phase of the negotiations, and expressed conviction in the further progress at the upcoming Intergovernmental Conference slated for early next month. He also said that Croatia’s goal was to close most of the chapters by the end of this year and the remaining by the end of the following, so that the Treaty of Accession could be signed during Hungary’s EU presidency in the first half of 2011. He also familiarized them with the carrying out of an extensive campaign in accordance with the Communication Strategy and the preparations for the referendum on the EU membership.

Minister Jandroković emphasized that Croatia supported the EU perspective of the other Southeast European countries.

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