“We consider you an excellent partner because, in addition to cooperation in Croatia, we have worked together in third countries, developing excellent relations and this is one of the projects that we particularly value,” said First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić, opening a twinning light project on “Support to the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs in capacity building related to the European Union membership”, on which Croatia and Lithuania will cooperate for the next six months.
Pusić stressed that this is one of six Centre of Excellence special projects that had been planned at the start of this government’s mandate in the hope that it will be able to utilise the know-how that Croatia developed during its 12 years of EU accession. During that process, she said, we developed useful and useable skills for the SEE countries aspiring to join the EU but also for countries outside Europe which are interested in building state institutions and stabilisation in post-conflict situations. This experience and know-how will benefit any country that wishes to build more efficient institutions as well as shift the focus of political culture from history to pragmatic and practical facts, Pusić said. She added that the goal of the Centre of Excellence was to preserve the acquired know-how and experience as well as cooperate with European partners on the Centre’s development and greater visibility. “The goal is to promote the idea that politics on any level require constant work on one’s knowledge and expertise, education and exchange of experiences,” Pusić said, expressing satisfaction over the partnership with Lithuania, with which we have a long-standing experience of cooperation, thanks to which this project should be a success, she said.
The official opening of the project, which was launched on 1 June, was also attended by secretary general of the Lithuanian foreign ministry Jurate Raguckiene.
The institutional and technical capacity strengthening project is worth 222,222 euros, 90% of which is to be financed through IPA funds and 10% is to be secured by Croatia.
The Centre of Excellence is a separate unit within the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs dedicated to stimulating cooperation by offering technical assistance primarily aimed at countries in the region in the form of training and consultancy in regard to European integration through a network of experts in European affairs. The Centre also supports strengthening national administrative capacities required for joining the EU.