(Hina) - Foreign and European Affairs Minister Marija Pejčinović-Burić has said that Croatia would like to enter the Schengen area by the end of 2019 and that analyses and comparative experiences indicate that Croatia can expect positive effects of the planned introduction of the euro.
Addressing a three-day international conference organised in the eastern city of Osijek by the Croatian and International Pan-European Union associations on Friday evening, Pejčinović-Burić said that the pan-European Union and Europe were projects which should be permanently built and upgraded.
Croatia is entering the fifth year of its membership in the EU and is taking its niche in the EU activities, the minister said.
By pursuing our EU policies, we strive for the interconnection of our national and European interests so as to accomplish the best results and make Croatia, all other EU member-states and the project of the union stronger, she underscored.
Croatia supports efforts aimed at maintaining the safety and security of the EU and protection of the EU borders, and Zagreb is fulfilling the remaining requirements for its admission to the Schengen zone as the next step towards the full participation in all segments of the European politics, she added.
We are additionally encouraged by the messages of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker about the importance of Croatia's admission to the Schengen zone as soon as it meets all the criteria, the minister said.
She reiterated Croatia's position on supporting southeast European aspirants to join the EU.
The expansion of the EU to include southeast European countries means for Croatia the investment in the development and security of its neighbourhood, and enlargement policy will be additionally promoted by Croatia during its presidency over the EU in the first half of 2020, according to Pejčinović-Burić.