- Published: 09.03.2024.
Strengthening Croatia-Peru bilateral ties
The talks focused on the strengthening of bilateral ties between Croatia and Peru as well as on cooperation with the EU, given that the EU is the third biggest trading partner of Peru and ranks second in terms of investments. “Croatia advocates deeper connections between the EU and Latin America. Given our gruelling transition into a democratic and prosperous EU member state, we believe that we better understand a lot of countries in the world, notably Latin America, with which we have special ties through our expatriates,” Grlić Radman emphasized.
Peru was the first country in South America where Croats started settling in the 16th century, forming a strong bridge between out countries.
“Bearing in mind that Peru is one of key partners of the EU in the region, we appreciate its support to multilateral order, the integrity of the UN Charter and its clear and unequivocal position on the support to Ukraine. Croatia firmly believes that supporting Ukraine is a crucial investment in global peace and stability and we remain committed to it,” the minister underscored.
Given that both countries are candidates for membership in the OECD, Grlić Radman and González-Olaechea agreed that there is room for strengthening cooperation and exchanging experiences. They emphasized the importance of collaboration between economic chambers and the exchange of economic delegations as the best and most effective way to present the economies of the two countries and identify specific business opportunities. They agreed that despite the significant distance, there are opportunities to enhance cooperation in the fields of mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, the IT sector, the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, defence industry, maritime transport, and tourism.
Additionally, Grlić Radman met with members of the Croatian community at the Croatian House Dubrovnik, where he presented decisions on awarding Croatian citizenship. Certain figures indicate that there are around 200,000 people of Croatian descent in Peru.
The Croatian House Dubrovnik was established in 1906 as the Slavic Charitable Society Callao and represents a key institution of the Croatian community in Peru, bringing together over 200 families of Croatian origin and making a significant contribution to the preservation of cultural heritage in Latin America.
“Croatia, as a country that has sacrificed greatly for its long-desired and hard-won statehood, is obligated, through citizenship acquisition regulations, to ensure that those who are familiar with, accept, and respect its values, history, culture, tradition, language, and customs, and who will contribute to its progress, have the right to citizenship. The Croats of Peru, with their rich culture, work, and Croatian hearts, have known how to testify to their unbreakable connection with the Homeland through turbulent times in Croatian history, nurturing all the above-mentioned values,” emphasized Grlić Radman.
During the visit, the minister also met with the Apostolic Nuncio in Peru, Monsignor Paolo Rocco Gualtieri.