During the bilateral meeting between ministers Jandroković and Frattini, both sides confirmed the existence of excellent and partnership relations between Croatia and Italy, further strategically strengthened after the Coordinating Committee’s first meeting 1 July 2009 in Rome
During the bilateral meeting between ministers Jandroković and Frattini, both sides confirmed the existence of excellent and partnership relations between Croatia and Italy, further strategically strengthened after the Coordinating Committee’s first meeting 1 July 2009 in Rome.
Minister Jandroković thanked Minister Frattini and Italy for the strong and continuous support during Croatia’s EU talks. The Italian side said it would continue to support Croatia in the final stags of the negotiations as well, expressing belief that Croatia would sign the Treaty of Accession in the first half of 2011.
Discussing the economic relations, the collocutors expressed satisfaction with the two countries’ trade growth in the first half of this year in relation to the same period the year before. They also welcomed the growing interest among Italy’s investors in investing in Croatia’s projects, pointing out that Croatia was interested mostly in Italy’s investments in infrastructure and transport, as well as in small and middle-sized entrepreneurship, primarily in the production sector. The Croatian side also invited large Italian companies to invest, in order for the Croatian economy to be strengthened in that way as well.
In regard to minority rights protection and the role of minorities in the strengthening of bilateral relations, the collocutors agreed on the favourable position on the Italian minority in Croatia, while Minister Jandroković pointed out the need to increase the financial support for the Croatian community in Italy, especially the Croatian minority in Molise.
The two ministers also agreed that the European perspective of Europe’s southeast is crucial in achieving stability and prosperity, together with maintaining the regional dialogue and cooperation. The Republic of Croatia will continue to serve as an example to other countries in the region in terms of adopting the European values and principles.
The goals of today’s meeting of the Committee was to further intensify the political, economic, cross-border and interregional cooperation in the areas encompassed by the Memorandum of Cooperation, primarily energy and infrastructural projects, environmental protection, agriculture, investment, tourism, minority protection, culture, education and science, as well as regional cooperation.
The meeting also pointed out that the areas of mutual interest include the cooperation between the Adriatic ports, transport network development and cooperation in civil air traffic as well. In regard to agricultural development, the Committee welcomed today’s signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in Agriculture and Rural Development.
The Committee also confirmed that there is mutual interest to further promote environmental protection and civil security in the Adriatic, pointing out the importance of continuing the cooperation and consultations with the other Adriatic-bordering countries for the purposes of declaring the Adriatic an especially sensitive maritime area.
Croatia and Italy have a long tradition of cooperation within numerous regional organizations and initiatives, such as the Central European and Adriatic-Ionian Initiative. In that regard, Italy was congratulated on its successful presiding over the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, which had seen the signing of protocols on rural development, small and middle-sized entrepreneurship, and tourism development, which represents a valuable framework for future cooperation.
After the plenary meeting of the Coordinating Committee, the foreign ministers signed the Joint Statement.
The Coordinating Committee is meeting once a year with the aim of expanding the field of cooperation between Croatia and Italy, and was founded by the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Government of the Italian Republic signed in early 2009.
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