FMs Pejčinović Burić, Alfano talk Croatia-Italy relations

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Marija Pejčinović Burić 19 October 2017 received on working visit Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Angelino Alfano

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Marija Pejčinović Burić 19 October 2017 received on working visit Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Angelino Alfano, continuing the intensive bilateral dialogue set up between the two countries' incumbent governments.

Pejčinović Burić and Alfano expressed interest to upgrade the current relations to a level of partnership, bilaterally as well as within the EU and international institutions. To that end the two ministers agreed on the date for the meeting of the Coordination Committee of Ministers, which is to be held 18 January 2018 in Rome (the previous one took place 15 September 2010 in Zagreb).

The two ministers expressed satisfaction with economic relations – Italy is Croatia’s second-place foreign trade partner, third-place investor and fourth by the number of tourist visits. Croatia also counts on Italy’s support for Croatia’s bid to join the OECD.

Pejčinović Burić thanked her Italian counterpart for his personal engagement in easing the regime of border checks. The two ministers also talked about Croatia’s pending admission to the Schengen zone. Pejčinović Burić thanked Italy for its neutral position on the border dispute between Croatia and Slovenia.

The two ministers discussed the support to Eastern Europe’s EU aspirants, with Pejčinović Burić underlining the issue of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s three constitutive nations.

They also talked about Zagreb and Milan’s candidacies for the next seat of the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Press releases