On Friday, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman held talks Romanian Foreign Minister Luminiţa-Teodora Odobescu, who is on an official visit to Croatia. During the meeting, the two officials discussed not only the comprehensive bilateral relations but also exchanged views on cooperation within international organizations and the current global political situation.
The ministers confirmed the exceptionally strong and friendly relations between the two countries, agreeing that Croatia and Romania share closely aligned views on a range of issues and cooperate as partners and allies within the European Union and NATO. "We believe we can be satisfied with the upward trend in our bilateral relations and the increasingly diversified cooperation, a trend also reflected in the growth of our trade exchange, which exceeded 870 million euros in 2023," Grlić Radman stated.
When discussing minority protection, the Croatian minister expressed satisfaction with the level of protection and support provided by the Romanian government to the Croatian national minority, which he described as the oldest Croatian minority community residing in the Romanian region of Banat. "Similarly, Croatia ensures the highest standards in protecting the small but respected Romanian minority in Croatia," Grlić Radman noted, emphasizing that the strong cooperation in protecting minority communities is evidenced by the fact that both minorities have representatives in the highest governmental bodies.
Speaking about cooperation within the European Union and NATO, Grlić Radman expressed confidence that the successful collaboration will continue to thrive in the upcoming institutional cycle of the European Union, and that Croatia and Romania will continue to work together in promoting policies of mutual interest. "Regarding NATO, our countries significantly contribute to strengthening security on NATO's eastern flank, with Romania hosting the Enhanced Forward Presence mission and Croatia participating in missions in Poland, Hungary, and Bulgaria," highlighted the Croatian foreign minister. Welcoming the decision to lift internal controls in the air and maritime spaces, Grlić Radman reiterated Croatia’s support for Romania's full membership in the Schengen Area. The ministers also exchanged views on both countries' membership in the OECD, expressing mutual satisfaction with the positive cooperation.
The remainder of the meeting was dedicated to topics related to the Western Balkans, the situation in Ukraine, and the Middle East. The ministers agreed on the importance of the enlargement policy, emphasizing that it ensures not only the stability of Southeast European states but also of the entire European continent. Regarding the situation in Ukraine, Grlić Radman took the opportunity to brief his colleague on the details of his visit to Kyiv earlier this week, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to providing multidimensional support to Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. The alignment of positions between the two countries was also evident regarding the need to assist Moldova on its European path.
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