Emphasizing that Croatia deeply believes in the principles of free market economy, Minister Jandroković said that protectionism is not a solution to the current economic problems that both the world and the region are faced with. In that regard, he reminded that CEFTA, for instance, had helped the countries of Central and Eastern Europe with their preparations for taking part in the internal EU market.
Speaking about the policy towards Bosnia an Herzegovina, Minister Jandroković reiterated that Croatia’s position is clear and unequivocal: Croatia supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of BH, the constitutiveness and equality of all three nations, and all those solutions that will ensure an efficient function of BH institutions, which are also the ones that will ensure a European future for BH.
Regarding the constitutiveness and equality of all three nations, he said it presupposed their equal representation in the local and national-level institutions, as well as respecting their interests in the decision-making processes. This also presupposes their equal involvedness in the process of constitutional reforms and the creation of the preconditions for the sustainable return of all those who wish to return to BH.
Minister Jandroković said that Croatia, careful not to interfere in any way in BH internal matters, would continue to care for the Croats in BH, as it is its constitutional and international obligation. He pointed out that this is also confirmed by the Croatian Government’s decision that the financial and economic crisis that has stricken Croatia will not affect the material assistance designated for the Croats in BH.
Pointing out that the responsibility for reaching an agreement on the setting up of functioning institutions in BH lies primarily in the hands of the legitimate representatives of the three constitutive nations, Minister Jandroković invited the Croats in BH to be united in the negotiations about its future. He also said that the BH Croats are expected to be the leading force in establishing the European and Euro-Atlantic values in BH.
Stressing that Croatia strongly supports BH’s EU and NATO membership, Minister Jandroković expressed the Croatian side’s readiness to share its experience and knowledge gained in the negotiating process and assumption of the acquis.
The goal of the third Economic Forum, which saw the participation of numerous businessmen from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, was to draw up a strategy and realize cooperation between Croatia and the BH Croats. Apart from that, the Forum reviewed the past results as well as the future plans to said end, and also discussed the models of solving the economic and financial crisis, as well as the ethical principles.