Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Gordan Jandroković met as part of official visit to the Netherlands with his host, Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal

The ministers stated satisfaction with the two countries’ very good and friendly relations, expressing hope that the cooperation would continue to intensify in all the areas of mutual interest

The ministers stated satisfaction with the two countries’ very good and friendly relations, expressing hope that the cooperation would continue to intensify in all the areas of mutual interest. Minister Jandroković thanked the Netherlands for its numerous bilateral assistance programs during Croatia’s EU accession process.

He also emphasized the importance of the Netherlands’ support in this key stage of Croatia’s accession, informing his counterpart Rosenthal about the status of the negotiations and the intent to close them by end-June, followed by the signing of the Accession Treaty by the end of the year. He said that the progress was evident in the reports on meeting the negotiations criteria, emphasizing that Croatia would continue to conduct reforms in the same spirit, which would make her 100% ready for the EU membership in all aspects.

Saying that most of the efforts were currently directed at closing chapters 8 – Competition Policy and 23 – Judiciary and Fundamental Rights, Minister Jandroković emphasized the government’s determination to complete the necessary reforms in judiciary and public administration, carry on combating corruption, fully cooperate with the ICTY and restructure the shipbuilding sector.

Discussing the economic cooperation, the ministers pointed out the numerous possibilities for its enhancement. In light of the fact that the Dutch businessmen, with €4.5 million invested from 1993 to end-2010, came in second in terms of the overall investment in Croatia, Minister Jandroković presented the Croatian Government’s new investment package. Agreeing on the need to further enhance the two countries’ economic cooperation, the ministers stressed the importance of supporting small and middle-sized companies. In that regard, they arranged the organizing of economic forums which would additionally stimulate the development of such cooperation.

Talking about the current state of affairs in South Eastern Europe, the ministers agreed that the Euro-Atlantic perspective is the only guarantee of peace and stability in the region. They also exchanged opinions about the situation in Afghanistan, as well as the Croatian-Dutch cooperation in ISAF, with Minister Jandroković pointing out that nearly half of the 350 member s of the Croatian contingent were involved in training the Afghan security forces.

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