Dear Minister,
I would like to express my gratitude for the warm welcome I received in Croatia. A friendly country, a strong ally with whom we see things eye to eye regarding the prosperity of our peoples, the stability of the broader region and the future of Europe.
One can only congratulate Croatia for the determination it has shown in joining the European Union.
And of course, the latest achievements of accession to both the Eurozone and the Schengen area, successes that are the greatest legacy of the Prime Minister, with whom I had the opportunity to discuss this morning about our bilateral relationship and broader regional and global issues.
The same, of course, applies to Minister Radman, who has been one of the most effective Ministers in terms of the implementation of the European-oriented policy of his country and nation.
With the Minister we had the opportunity to confirm on several occasions the excellent level of our bilateral relations, based on common principles and values that our countries apply in their foreign policy.
This is confirmed by our joint participation not only in international organizations, such as the EU, NATO and, I am positive for the OECD, but also in a significant number of initiatives such as
• the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP),
• the Berlin Process,
• the Three Seas Initiative,
• the EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region,
• the EU MED9, and
• the “Friends of the Western Balkans” group, which is a group of like-minded nations and countries supporting the European orientation of the Western Balkans.
In relation to EU Enlargement process, we both believe that the Western Balkans’ integration into the European Union can serve as a catalyst for peace, prosperity, and stability in our region.
Accession perspectives of all candidate states must be governed by the principles of own merits and full respect for International Law, the rule of law and the European acquis.
And I am glad that both our countries share the view, as the Minister just mentioned, that the time has come for Bosnia Herzegovina to start EU accession negotiations, given also the European Commission’s favorable opinion.
It is a commonplace that the European Union's most important achievement has been lasting peace in our continent.
But we should not take peace for granted.
We are deeply concerned about the current situation in Ukraine and the Middle East, in our broader region.
We count two years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And, we are in a state of humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
This dire situation may have potential spillover effects in other fragile areas. Tensions in the Red Sea could have a significant effect on global trade, supply chains, security of navigation and consumer prices.
This simply cannot continue. We cannot afford to let it persist and cause further harm.
Greece is doing everything in its power to mitigate the consequences of the crises, prevent an escalation in the region and the globe and find solutions to these international problems.
Dear Gordan,
We are willing to intensify our interaction and build upon our relations.
Regionalization and synergies make us more resilient and, thus, more secure.
Interconnection of vertical axes with strategic ports, railways, and transport infrastructure projects is vital and necessary.
We strongly support transport corridors such as the Blue Highway, and energy projects, such as the Vertical Gas Corridor and the Green Aegean Interconnector.
There is ample space for upscaling our bilateral trade volume and our interaction in investment, cutting-edge technologies, and education.
Last but not least, we have agreed to maintain our close cooperation within multilateral organizations. A successful coordination, which has led to the mutual support of our candidacies at the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council.
Dear Minister, my dear friend Gordan,
It has been an honor to have had the opportunity to meet you and work with you for the benefit of our two nations.
Thank you once again for your warm hospitality.
March 19, 2024