Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman visited Denmark on Friday, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The minister first held bilateral talks with his Danish counterpart Jeppe Kofod. Grlić Radman and Kofod discussed bilateral relations, the political situation in the Western Balkans and the eastern EU border, migrations, as well as the prospects of advancing cooperation in economy, energy, infrastructure, information and communications technology and environmental protection. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, economic cooperation between the two countries has increased by 14% and there is potential for further growth, the two ministers said. Grlić Radman added that he hoped more Danish tourists would visit Croatia this year to reach pre-pandemic numbers.
The two ministers underscored their countries’ support for the enlargement process as key for peace and stability in the EU’s immediate neighbourhood as well as in Europe itself. Grlić Radman said that Croatia shares its longest border with BiH and that the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina was one of the most important issues for Croatia. He stressed the need to reform the BiH election law as a precondition for a stable and functional state of equal constituent peoples and all other citizens as well as for the stability of southeast Europe as a whole.
After the meeting, Grlić Radman and Kofod attended a panel discussion organised to mark the 30th anniversary of Croatia’s recognition and the establishment of diplomatic relations with Denmark. “This is an opportunity to recall the achievements but also to look ahead, towards new cooperation opportunities,” said Grlić Radman.
Addressing the event, he said that Croatia and Denmark shared the same values and that only through joint action the security and climate challenges of today could be overcome. The minister highlighted potential for greater cooperation in green economy and the concept of “smart islands”, which is something Denmark has a wealth of experience in.
Grlić Radman also met with the Regional Director of the World Health Organisation, Hans Henri Kluge. “Croatia greatly values the efforts the World Health Organisation has taken to combat the coronavirus pandemic and the constant support it provides to countries,” the minister said.
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