Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman on Friday participated in the fifth regional forum of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), held in the virtual format. The forum was held on the 25th anniversary of the Barcelona Process.
“Among the main pillars of Croatia’s Council of the EU presidency were development, connectedness and security. These are also the main areas of cooperation within the UfM,” said Grlić Radman, adding that the governments of the Mediterranean countries had not cooperated closely enough before the COVID-19 pandemic so cooperation had to be strengthened in order to fight it.
The minister underscored Croatia’s readiness for a tighter cooperation within the UfM, highlighting security, economic development, ecological protection of the Mediterranean and the Adriatic, as well as maritime safety and sustainable tourism as main points of interest.
He also reflected on the issue of migration, stressing that it has to be resolved in a safe and orderly fashion. The minister concluded his address by calling for a stronger partnership between the EU and the neighbouring Mediterranean countries.