Minister Grlić Radman attends ministerial conference on EU reform

Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan supported, at a conference on strengthening and enlargement of the European Union held in Berlin on Thursday, Germany's ideas for reforms aiming to strengthen the structures of the European Union in preparation for further enlargement.
 
"We support enlargement and we think that the process can take place in parallel with institutional reforms," Minister Grlić Radman said after the ministerial conference entitled "A Bigger, Stronger Union".
 
The Croatian minister said that we should think about everything that was limiting and slowing down the development and work of EU institutions, and noted that achieving unity within the EU was currently the most important thing.
 
"Unity and solidarity, as well as strengthening the instruments that serve to better defend against threats, are priority," Grlić Radman said.
 
He said that he was in favor of opening EU accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina as soon as possible, at the beginning of next year at the latest.
 
"We are currently waiting for a positive opinion from the European Commission on the progress of the Western Balkan countries," Grlić-Radman said. He added that he was certain that the majority of the member states were inclined to support the start of negotiations because most of the leaders in BiH support the accession, and BiH's accession to the EU is of geopolitical and geostrategic importance to the EU.
 
The start of negotiations could strengthen pro-European forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina and accelerate reform processes, Grlić Radman said.
 
As for the progress of other Western Balkan countries on their path towards the EU, Grlić Radman said that the rule of law should be strengthened and that the rhetoric that had led to the wars in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s should be abandoned.
 
The Croatian foreign minister also commented on the vote on the UN resolution on the situation in the Gaza Strip.
 
Croatia acted on principle and voted against the resolution that did not mention Hamas or call for the release of the hostages, Grlić Radman said.
 
Croatia has been absolutely for peace and for the peace process in the Middle East from the beginning, underscored Grlić Radman.
 
The ministerial conference, which discussed the strengthening of the European Union's structures in order to prepare for the continuation of the enlargement process, was organized by Germany in cooperation with Spain, which currently holds the EU presidency.
 
Text: Hina/MVEP
Photo: photothek.de

 

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