Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman 19 September 2019 received on inaugural visit the Irish Ambassador to Croatia, Olive Hempenstall.
The two officials expressed satisfaction with intensified bilateral relations and all-level visits, voicing desire to boost business and economic cooperation.
Grlić Radman underlined the role of the Croatian diaspora as an important bridge in the strengthening of bilateral relations.
The cities of Rijeka and Galway are chosen as the 2020 European Capitals of Culture, which opens up additional potential for the boosting of cooperation in the areas of culture and tourism.
Grlić Radman and Hempenstall also talked about Croatia’s upcoming Council of the EU chairmanship, Brexit and what it means for Ireland, as well as EU enlargement onto the Western Balkans, notably in terms of opening accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania, and the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Irish ambassador congratulated Croatia on getting a vice-presidency seat in the new European Commission.