Greek FM Avramopoulos: you have been rewarded for all the hard work

“We are a part of the same region, Southeast Europe, and share many interests as well as responsibilities,” said Minister Pusić after a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos

“We are a part of the same region, Southeast Europe, and share many interests as well as responsibilities,” said First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić after a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos. The two ministers also discussed regional relations as well as concrete economic interests and projects such as the Adriatic-Ionian transport infrastructure and a potential Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline (TAP), one leg of which could run through Croatia.

“Based on this project, Croatia could in 50 years be independent as far as natural gas is concerned,” Avramopoulos said. Pusić agreed that Croatia should join the countries which support TAP, but added it all depended on the consolidation of criteria and the decision to be reached on the project in June. “We are very interested in the project and are holding talks with all of the countries involved. We are glad Greece greenlighted the project, as Greece is one of the key countries along the line,” Pusić said.

Avramopoulos said Greece is looking forward to Croatia's entry into the EU, whose rotating presidency in the first half of 2014 is to be assumed precisely by Greece. “You have been rewarded for all the hard work you have done, for meeting all the standards,” he said, enthusiastic about working with the Croatian partner towards full integration of the Western Balkans into the European family, which is high on the Greek presidency’s agenda.

Pusić and Avramopoulos expressed satisfaction with the bilateral relations between Croatia and Greece, including further political, economic and cultural cooperation as well as cooperation in education and the shipbuilding industry. They also discussed Europe’s economic crisis, with the Greek minister underlining his country’s commitment to structural reforms and fiscal adjustment, although these measures were “painful”. However, this is the only way of solidarity we must follow, he said, as one can never know when crisis will come knocking on one’s door. “Now it is time to show solidarity to Cyprus,” concluded Avramopoulos.

Asked about any Greece’s mistakes Croatia should avoid, Avramopoulos said our country had a competent leadership which had made a historic decision to join the EU. However, the road to full integration is not an easy one, he said. “You are aware that Greece was hit by economic crisis and many of the things we are trying to do now should have been done much earlier. So, you can learn from our mistakes. But you can also learn from our successes – since we joined the European family, Greece has changed. We have experienced progress and well-being, stability and growth.”

As for whether visa regime hurts the tourism of countries such as Croatia and Greece, Avramopoulos said the Schengen Agreement needed to be more flexible. “We have found ways around it without breaking the rules and we will raise this issue again during our presidency. We expect to have full Croatia’s support, as this is in our joint interest,” he said. Pusić said that once we entered the Schengen, about two and a half to three years after we join the EU, we would be in a position to take part in defining the Schengen terms and visa regime as well as raise the possibility that certain regulations be amended in accordance with a more rational approach.

The two ministers also discussed the situation in Syria, Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa as well as the Middle East peace process.

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