Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman on Tuesday in Zagreb met with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Foreign Minister Elmedin Konaković.
The two ministers discussed the strengthening of Croatia-BiH cooperation, transport and energy connections, as well as cooperation in environmental protection and multilateral cooperation. Also discussed were topics of mutual interest, such as the Southern Gas Interconnection Pipeline and the Adriatic-Ionian Motorway.
“I congratulated Konaković once again on Bosnia and Herzegovina being granted EU candidate status in December. I hope that it will serve as an encouragement to the new Council of Ministers along the path of reform. Croatia was actively pushing for the positive decision and will continue to support the integration process, where we can be a valuable partner. Apart from political support, we will continue to provide technical and expert assistance through bilateral cooperation and twinning projects,” said Grlić Radman.
Konaković expressed satisfaction with the quick establishment of the Council of Ministers and the fact that lately BiH is being spoken of in a more optimistic light, stressing that the positive momentum should be taken advantage of. “We are using the policy of compromise, dialogue and talks to get things going,” Konaković said, adding that the policy of dialogue was the harder way.
Grlić Radman underscored that he considered the new Council of Ministers a pro-European partner with which bilateral and multilateral relations could be strengthened. Both ministers welcomed the joint session of Croatian and BiH governments announced for June.
Konaković said that by then, the two sides should agree on concrete solutions as regards the election law amendments.
“I hope that Bosnia and Herzegovina, in line with the agreement of the ruling coalition, will successfully implement the electoral reform, which is important from the aspect of European integration, as well as from the aspect of the country’s functionality and political stability, and the equality of Croats as a constituent nation,” Grlić Radman concluded.
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