ZAGREB, April 14, 2018 – President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović on Friday received European Commission Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness Jyrki Katainen and discussed structural reforms, the Juncker plan and European defence policy, the President’s Office said in a press release.
Katainen, who is currently on an official visit to Croatia, and Grabar-Kitarović agreed that this favourable period in the economy was ideal to implement structural reforms and that investing in a quality education system was a long-term investment.
Katainen mentioned the EC’s projects stimulating investment and in that context he emphasised the Investment Plan for Europe, known as the Juncker Plan.
With financing from the European Investment Bank, this plan promotes investment in the private sector through the European Fund for Strategic Investments with a view to creating a greater social and economic value. Croatia too has benefits from that funding, Katainen underscored.
The growth and competitiveness of the EU are the main priorities and their achievement requires solidarity and cohesion, the two officials agreed.
They also discussed the priorities and challenges of Europe’s defence policy, with Katainen highlighting defence cooperation between the EU member states and cooperation with NATO. Emphasis was put on the European Defence Fund as a financial mechanism from which member states will be able to implement research and development projects. This fund should be interesting to Croatia too, the press release said.
Grabar-Kitarović informed her guest of the Three Seas Initiative and the summit meetings held so far within the Initiative. She expressed hope that a strong EC delegation would attend the next summit of the Initiative, to be held in Bucharest.
