Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman on Friday attended the Peace in Europe and the World international conference organized by the Croatian Paneuropean Union, in cooperation with the Paneuropean Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the International Paneuropean Union.
Addressing the event, the minister underscored the importance of European integration and unity in the new geopolitical circumstances.
“Having joined the Schengen Area and the eurozone, Croatia was the only country to achieve both goals on the same day, a result of great effort and determination in implementing numerous reforms. The perception of Croatia has changed significantly, notably from the foreign policy perspective. Today, Croatia is a safe and stable country, attractive to investors and for living in general, as well as a reliable and constructive partner to countries with which it shares the same values and cooperates,” he said.
As a full-fledged EU member state, Croatia tries to contribute to the development of the bloc and advancement of our common values and policies, while utilizing all of the opportunities that the Union offers. Grlić Radman cited energy security as an example, where by expanding the capacity of the Krk LNG Terminal Croatia had shown readiness to become an energy hub for Central and Eastern Europe, thereby helping other countries and contributing to the strengthening of the Union’s energy independence.
The minister said that Croatia continues to expand the EU’s outer border, now as a member state of the Schengen Area. “Croatia is the strongest advocate of the European journey and reforms in Southeast European countries, transferring its knowledge gained during the integration process and the membership. We are also in a position to help the Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the country itself. Croatia is advocating for the EU enlargement, both for our neighbors and the EU as a whole,” he added. The minister underlined that we need to have a clear plan for the speeding up of reforms in Southeast Europe.
“The EU has to remain an open project that offers a perspective for the future to all whose who wish to be a part of it. As the same time, the EU can and should contribute more to the preservation of global pace, by strengthening its profile as a geostrategic stakeholder,” Grlić Radman concluded.
In addition, the minister emphasized that Croatia would continue to provide strong political, financial and humanitarian support to Ukraine. “The recent International Donor Conference on Humanitarian Demining in Ukraine held in Zagreb is a continuation of Croatia’s support for the Ukrainian people’s fight for freedom. Croatia has allocated an additional 5 million euros for demining in Ukraine, and we will also help Ukraine with mechanization and expertise. Like Ukraine, Croatia too was a victim of aggression and has felt the consequences of minefields for decades,” he said.
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