Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Marija Pejčinović Burić 24 July 2018 met with Austria’s Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs, Karin Kneissl, who was on an official visit to Croatia.
Given that Croatia and Austria, as two EU member states, cooperate in a number of areas, Pejčinović Burić and Kneissl discussed the current European topic in the context of Austria’s ongoing and Croatia’s upcoming chairmanship of the Council of the EU.
The two officials also talked about Croatia and Austria’s mutual interest in stabilizing the neighbouring countries and supporting the EU-Integration processes in Southeast Europe. Since enlargement in one of the priorities of Austria’s Council of the EU chairmanship, Pejčinović Burić said that Croatia’s chairmanship in the first half of 2020 would also focus on Southeast Europe and hold the 2nd Zagreb Summit.
Croatia and Austria share the same views on the challenges of migration and agree on the need for a comprehensive response that includes protecting the EU’s external border. The two ministers also discussed the importance of maintaining a strategic and integrated European approach to the global challenge of migration.
In light of the fact that Austria is the second biggest foreign investor in Croatia, Pejčinović Burić and Kneissl talked about the prospects of intensifying the economic cooperation.
After the talks the, two ministers signed an agreement between the two governments on the exchange and mutual protection of classified data, which underscores mutual commitment to the highest security standards as well as strong mutual trust.