Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman on Friday paid a visit to Italy, where he met with his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio.
The two ministers underscored satisfaction with Croatia and Italy’s friendly relations and successful cooperation in a number of areas. They also expressed satisfaction with the recent declaration of an Exclusive Economic Zone and commented on the successful trilateral cooperation between Croatia, Italy and Slovenia. Grlić Radman stressed the importance of continuing the cooperation: “Trilateral cooperation is developing very well. It is important to continue working on all three areas we have together identified as crucial: connectivity, the blue economy and environmental protection,” he said.
Grlić Radman and Di Maio discussed the 5th meeting of the Croatia-Italy Coordinating Committee of Ministers, to be held in Rome in 2022, and the continuation of the two countries’ successful cooperation. Support for Croatia’s joining the Schengen Area, eurozone and OECD was also highlighted.
In addition, the two ministers reflected on the enlargement process and the EU perspective of Southeast Europe. “Croatia is one of the strongest advocates of the enlargement process because that is the way for our neighbourhood to be stable and functional in the long term – providing, of course, all the necessary criteria have been met,” Grlić Radman said, adding that continuing the process would benefit both the EU and Southeast Europe.
After the meeting with Di Maio, Grlić Radman attended the 7th MED Dialogues – a panel discussion on the future of the Mediterranean with the foreign ministers of Spain, Slovenia and Portugal.
Addressing the event, the minister commented on the coronavirus pandemic and underscored that Croatia showed solidarity in the spring of 2021 with first bilateral donations to Western Balkan countries.
“To date, we have donated more than 1.8 million vaccine doses worldwide. Croatia has donated 1.33 million vaccine doses through the COVAX mechanism and we remain committed to this,” he said.
During his visit to Rome, Grlić Radman also met with Secretary General of the International Energy Forum (IEF) Joseph McMonigle. The two officials discussed the role of the IEF in preserving the global energy system and governance, the European Green Deal, Croatia’s contribution to energy diversification and security with the Krk LNG terminal and strengthening the Three Seas Initiative.
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