Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Davor Ivo Stier attended the ministerial part of a summit of the Brdo-Brijuni Process. In his address, Stier said that the Process was proving itself as a good initiative, through which Croatia and Slovenia are supporting the European prospect for all Southeast European countries. “It is in our national interest that the continent’s southeast is peaceful and stable, as it bolsters our stability too,” Stier said, underlining the importance of the enlargement process’ credibility. The ministers stressed that candidate and potential candidate countries had to implement all the required reforms, adding that it was Europe’s obligation to keep the membership door open once the criteria are met. It is a very concrete perspective for all Southeast European countries who wish to join the EU, Stier said.
This is where the Brdo-Brijuni Process, which is fully complementary to the Berlin Process and a preparation of sorts for the Trieste Summit, shows its added value. It is a very concrete value, Stier said, pointing out the donation of the acquis translation to the Southeast European countries as well as other activities that the initiative supports and wants to continue supporting.
Stier recalled that the EU was faced with numerous challenges, from terrorism and mass migration to Brexit and Euroscepticism in a number of member countries, adding it was important to stress that that would not negatively affect the peace and stability in Southeast Europe, but that we would jointly push for the enlargement issue to stay on the agenda, which for us is not just enlargement in the classical sense, but a consolidation of sorts. Europe’s southeast, once its meets the criteria and enters the EU, will make Europe complete in every sense, Stier said, which is in our interest as well.
Stier wrapped up his address by stressing Croatia and Slovenia’s full support for all Southeast European countries on the path towards the EU and the Euro-Atlantic integration.