Minister Grlić Radman participates in “The World in 2021”

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman on Friday participated in The Economist’s “The World in 2021”

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman on Friday participated in The Economist’s “The World in 2021”.

As one of the panelists, Grlić Radman reflected on a number of foreign policy issues. He underscored that the Croatian EU presidency in the first half of 2020 had adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic and worked on strengthening coordination at the EU level. He stressed that the current epidemiological situation in Europe required an even stronger coordination to curb the spread of the virus, underscoring that timely access to the vaccine was paramount.

Commenting on the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the minister said it should be viewed within the context of crisis response and post-pandemic economic recovery. “I believe that the new MFF and the Next Generation EU fund are extremely important for the recovery, modernization (green and digital), as well as continued development of the EU and its policies,” he said.

In addition, Grlić Radman outlined Croatia’s foreign policy priorities, which include joining the Schengen Area and the Eurozone. “A stable and democratic Bosnia and Herzegovina remains one of Croatia’s top foreign policy priorities,” the minister said, adding that such a BH, in which the three constituent peoples and all citizens enjoy equal rights, was not only a priority for the neighbouring countries but for Europe as a whole. The Euro-Atlantic integration process was underlined as a key for stability, security, prosperity and democratic transformation of the country, with Grlić Radman stressing that BH had Croatia’s political support along that path, including the transfer of knowledge from the negotiating process. The minister also commented on the international conference “The Legacy of Peace – 25 Years of the Dayton-Paris Peace Agreement”, held on 15 December 2020 in Zagreb.

The level of protection of the Adriatic Sea is high on Croatia’s foreign policy agenda, which Grlić Radman reflected on at the conference, adding that Croatia had been working on it committedly for a number of years. “Even though the present Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone guarantees protection to a large extent, Croatia and Italy’s declaration of economic zones will further protect the Adriatic, both economically and in terms of security,” the minister concluded.

 

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