Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman participated in the international conference on the Pact for the Mediterranean, held in Zadar and organised by the Representation of the European Commission in the Republic of Croatia.
As part of the panel on “Europe and the Mediterranean: Historic Ties, New Dynamics”, the minister highlighted Croatia’s deep-rooted connection to the Mediterranean space, from the Republic of Ragusa to its membership in the European Union, as well as Croatia’s role as a bridge between the EU, the Western Balkans and the Mediterranean neighbourhood.
“Our position on the Adriatic strategically connects us with the Mediterranean, the Western Balkans and Central Europe. Precisely because of this role as a bridge between regions, economies and peoples, Croatia makes a particular contribution to Euro-Mediterranean cooperation,” Grlić Radman stated.
The minister placed special emphasis on the importance of investing in human capital, digital transformation, education and the empowerment of women as the foundations of long-term regional stability. He also underlined Croatia’s readiness to share, in a spirit of partnership, its experience in the development of digital public services and innovation.
Grlić Radman thanked the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, for her dedicated leadership of the consultations on the Pact and underscored the importance of her role in shaping a new political framework that brings together political dialogue, policies and concrete implementation.
The panel also included the Minister of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, Nina Obuljen Koržinek, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, Theodora Constantinidou.
Later in the conference, discussions focused on economic resilience, migration management and security, as well as the role of people and local communities as drivers of change. In this context, Croatia highlighted its ambition, as chair of the MED9 initiative and the Three Seas Initiative in 2026, to further connect the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Central European regions.
The Zadar conference once again confirmed Croatia’s clear Mediterranean orientation and its readiness for active and committed engagement in strengthening the Euro-Mediterranean partnership through dialogue, concrete projects and regional cooperation.
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