The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Croatia has arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) where he will participate in the 8th Forum of the European Union (EU) Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region (EUSAIR) and in the annual meeting of the Council of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (JJI).
Gordan Grlic Radman said that Croatia is a vocal supporter of the European perspective of BiH.
“It is part of our national strategy, which is based on the stability of the entire region. Croatia will therefore do everything it can to help BiH fulfill the set criteria for EU membership by offering it and other countries in the region relatively fresh and relevant experiences from the accession process,” Grlic Radman said.
He emphasized that he believes that BiH could open membership negotiations with the European Commission as early as next year.
Grlic Radman said that after assuming the presidency of the JJI Council, Croatia would use that position to successfully continue the negotiation process with the aim of accelerating European integration, but he emphasized that the enlargement strategy should be adapted to new challenges, especially in terms of fundamental rights and markets, as well as digital and green transition, and resilience.
As a special challenge, Grlic Radman highlighted ensuring energy independence, which is becoming a key challenge. He reminded that Croatia decided to triple the capacity of its floating gas terminal on Krk in order to guarantee energy security for all countries in the wider region, Klix.ba reports.
E.Dz.
