Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman 11 May 2021 paid a visit to Spain.
During the visit, Grlić Radman held talks with Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gónzalez Laya. The two ministers underscored the importance of intensifying the dialogue on all levels, including the highest.
“We discussed cooperation in the Mediterranean, where there’s mutual interest to protect the sea that connects us, as well as its resources and the coastline, and to cooperate in tackling the root causes of migration. Croatia, as a Mediterranean country, has expressed interest to join MED7, and I thank Spain for the support it has shown,” Grlić Radman said.
The minister also thanked Spain for supporting Croatia’s strategic goals – joining the Schengen Area, OECD and the eurozone. He and his Spanish counterpart underscored hope for a swift economic recovery so that trade could return to the pre-pandemic levels. The two ministers highlighted transport, energy and tourism as areas with the greatest potential for bilateral economic cooperation. Grlić Radman outlined the measures Croatia is taking to ensure the highest epidemiological standards.
Grlić Radman and Gónzalez Laya underlined support for institutional cooperation in culture, education and science. In addition, they emphasized the importance of supporting the reform processes in the Western Balkan countries, notably dealing with the key challenges in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as holding the Intergovernmental Conference with Albania and North Macedonia.
In the context of migrations, the two ministers stressed the importance of partnership with the Western Balkan and Southern Neighbourhood countries. They also exchanged views on other topical European and international matters, such as the potential for partnership relations with Latin America.