Minister Grabar-Kitarović met with Maltese Prime Minister Gonzi, Parliament’s President Tabone, Foreign Minister Frendo

Minister Grabar-Kitarović and Minister Frendo signed the Protocol on the Co-operation between the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration and Maltese Ministry of Foreign Affairs that binds the ministers to hold annual consultations with the aim of examining all aspects of the bilateral relations and exchanging views on regional and international issues.

Minister Grabar-Kitarović and Minister Frendo agreed that the bilateral relations between Croatia and Malta are very good and friendly, with no outstanding issues, and with positive results of activities within international organisations, namely the EU and UN. The two pointed out the exceptionally successful co-operation between the two countries’ diplomatic academies and decided that the two countries would co-operate in economic diplomacy as well. They also agreed on the firm co-operation on Croatia’s road to the EU and the transfer of Malta’s negotiating experiences. It should be pointed out that Malta managed to win, for them, some important concessions, such as limitations on buying Maltese real estate for an indefinite period of time, freedom of Maltese workforce movement within the EU, with a 7-year limitation on other EU citizens’ access to the Maltese job market and a maintenance of a zero VAT growth rate for food and medicine. Therefore, intense co-operation between the two countries is expected.

Minister Grabar-Kitarović and Minister Frendo agreed that Croatia and Malta share the interest to develop the co-operation, especially in tourism and economy, with Minister Frendo announcing his attending the Crans Montana Forum, where he will take the opportunity to meet the Croatian and Maltese businessmen.

During the meeting with Maltese Prime Minister Gonzi and Parliament’s President Tabone, Minister Grabar-Kitarović thanked the Maltese Government for the support to Croatia even before the opening of the EU negotiations, and expressed great satisfaction with the strengthening of the Mediterranean dimension within the EU.

Minister Grabar-Kitarović held a lecture at the Maltese MEDAC University (Mediterranean Diplomatic Academy) entitled Croatia’s Road to the EU, discussing Croatia’s main foreign policy goals, its efforts on the way to the EU and NATO, as well as the criteria and reforms it is conducting along the way. She also spoke about the regional co-operation and the Mediterranean dimension of the two countries’ co-operation within the EU.