Today’s signing of the Agreement on Co-operation is an opportunity for a further enhancement of the bilateral relations between Croatia and Flanders, said Minister Grabar-Kitarović, adding that the Agreement facilitates the expansion of co-operation onto new areas of economy, small and middle-sized enterprises, culture, science, and the co-operation within the centres for European Studies, and foresees the stimulation of the co-operation and exchange in the field of elementary, secondary, and high education, postgraduate, and doctoral studies, vocational training and adult education.
One of the most successful projects launched last year, said Minister Grabar-Kitarović, was the Plato Croatia, whose aim was to transfer the experiences of the Flemish Chamber of Commerce (VOKA) to the Croatian partners – the county chambers of Zadar, Karlovac, Otočac, and Šibenik.
Minister Bourgeois stated after the signing of the Agreement that the Flemish Government has recognised the South-Eastern Europe as the priority area of its foreign policy. He expressed Flanders’ support for Croatia’s full EU membership, pointing out that Croatia has come furthest in the European integration process.
Stating his satisfaction with the signing of the Agreement, Minister Bourgeois added that it is through agreements such as this one that Flanders is stimulating its subjects to co-operate with their Croatian partners.
The signing of the Agreement will be followed by the setting up of a joint Croatian-Flemish commission, which will draw up two-year programmes of working on the projects.