Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman visited Texas from 25 to 27 September 2025, where through a series of meetings with business leaders, working visits to scientific and technological institutions, and an encounter with the Croatian community, he reaffirmed Croatia’s commitment to deeper transatlantic partnership, secure and sustainable energy, modern port logistics, and high value-added innovation.
In the Port of Houston, one of the world’s leading ports, discussions focused on enhancing cooperation with the Port of Rijeka, building on the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2014. Owing to investments exceeding one billion euros, the Port of Rijeka has become the most advanced intermodal hub on the Northern Adriatic and a key link between Europe and global markets, positioned on three TEN-T corridors.
At the European-American Chamber of Commerce (EACC) gathering in Dallas, the minister delivered a keynote address entitled “Croatia - The Mediterranean Oil & LNG Gateway to Central Europe.” He underscored Croatia’s role as a reliable energy and logistics partner, highlighting its advantages: a stable credit rating, a competitive and highly educated workforce, and full integration into the European Union, the euro area, and the Schengen zone, with the accession process to the OECD nearing completion. Opportunities for investment in renewables, advanced manufacturing, ICT, and infrastructure were presented. EACC, with some 750 member companies and over 10,000 employees in Europe and the United States, provides a unique platform for fostering business development and facilitating connections between European and American companies and professional organizations.
At the invitation of representatives of Axiom Space in Houston, Grlić Radman toured the company’s facilities and discussed new opportunities for international and scientific cooperation. He emphasized Croatia’s membership in the European Space Agency and the growing innovative ecosystem of domestic enterprises, stressing the importance of investment in research, STEM education, and international scientific collaboration.
During a meeting with executives of Cheniere Energy, the largest LNG producer in the United States and the second largest LNG operator globally, discussions centered on long-term LNG supply agreements, market stability, and Croatia’s role as a regional energy hub through the Krk LNG terminal. “Croatia will soon double the terminal’s capacity to 6.1 billion cubic meters of gas annually, with infrastructure ready for hydrogen and new interconnections toward Central Europe,” Grlić Radman underlined, adding that diversification, resilient supply chains, and an orderly energy transition remain shared priorities.
A particularly meaningful moment of the visit was the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Croatian-American Society Lone Star in Houston, which brings together some 43,000 Croats living in Texas. The minister expressed gratitude to President Krešimir Kurjaković and members of the community for preserving the Croatian language, culture, and identity, and presented Croatian citizenship certificates to new members. He also recalled the legacy of Antun Lucić (Anthony Lucas), the Croatian émigré whose discovery of the first major oil field in Texas marked the beginning of America’s oil era.
“Your dedication and love for the homeland make us proud and oblige us to preserve this connection even more strongly,” Grlić Radman said in his address to the Croatian community.
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