Minister Grabar-Kitarović met with Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milošoski

Minister Grabar-Kitarović and Minister Milošoski expressed satisfaction with the very good and friendly relations between the two countries. The two ministers expressed mutual interest for a continuation of the successful dialogue on all of the important bi- and multilateral issues.

In light of the stated high level of co-operation, Minister Grabar-Kitarović and Minister Milošoski signed the Agreement on the Protection of the Croatian Minority in the Republic of Macedonia and the Macedonian Minority in the Republic of Croatia – an agreement by which the two countries mutually guarantee minority rights protection in accordance with the highest standards.

The Agreement regulates the status of the Croatian minority in Macedonia and ensures the right of using the means from Macedonia’s budget for cultural autonomy development, including the right to use its own language and preserve the traditional culture and customs. Apart from that, the Agreement opens the possibility of an all-level representation in representative bodies. The Agreement furthermore represents an additional element, along with Croatia’s legal framework, pertaining to the minority rights protection.