Croatia to assist neighbours on their EU membership journey

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman told the RTL evening news that the Zagreb Summit was the main event of Croatia's Council of the EU presidency...

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman told the RTL evening news that the Zagreb Summit was the main event of Croatia's Council of the EU presidency.

He recalled that during the Croatian presidency the decision was made to launch accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania.

"Prime Minister Andrej Plenković underscored support today for candidates Montenegro and Serbia, bolstered the European prospects of Kosovo and welcomed the reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He advocated the equality of the three constituent peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as their right to elect their own representatives," Grlić Radman said.
 
Speaking of the draft Declaration, the minister said that its very first sentence stated that the EU unequivocally supported the European prospects of the Western Balkan countries and was sending financial assistance.
 
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron also voiced support for the EU perspective of these countries, Grlić Radman added.
 
Prime Minister Plenković proposed that the summit be held every two years.
 
"He reflected on the painful heritage of the former Yugoslavia, sending a message of peace and underlining that all Western Balkan countries have to traverse the same path that Croatia did if they wished to achieve EU prospects," Grlić Radman said.
 
"Croatia will greatly help them in that regard," he added.

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