Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman on Thursday visited Germany, where he met with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
The two ministers underscored satisfaction with the excellent and friendly bilateral relations, firmly rooted in European values, as well as with close cooperation in a number of areas of mutual interest, the large Croatian community in Germany, and the numerous German tourists visiting Croatia.
Grlić Radman described the visit as an opportunity to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between the two friends, partners and allies. The two ministers reflected on the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the humanitarian situation in the country. “We agreed that it was important to assist Ukraine by all available means through a joint and coordinated action of the EU and NATO. Croatia still has fresh memories of the war and fully supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity,” Grlić Radman said. He expressed concern over the Russian aggression affecting the stability and security of the Western Balkans, stressing the importance of carrying on with the enlargement and of the EU’s proactive stance. “All Western Balkan countries that truly want to join the EU have to get a European perspective, but at the same time criteria have to be met – the rule of law, good-neighbourly relations and the harmonization of foreign policy with that of the EU,” he said. In that context, the minister underlined the importance of the stability and functioning of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the continuation of the country’s European journey, along with the implementation of the necessary reforms, such as the election law. “I have voiced concern and regret that no agreement has been reached on this issue that would guarantee the equality for all three constituent peoples, as specifically stated in the Strategic Compass as well,” he said, calling for talks on the electoral reform to continue.
Grlić Radman and Baerbock also discussed energy and climate policies. They agreed that it was necessary to invest additional efforts to ensure the EU’s energy independence, as well as to find reliable alternative suppliers and take a sharper turn towards renewable energy sources. In this context, Grlić Radman said that Croatia’s LNG terminal off the island of Krk could be conducive to these efforts.
“We also discussed the additional strengthening of economic cooperation and investments. We want Germany to remain one of our most important economic partners and to make further progress in a number of areas,” Grlić Radman concluded.
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