ZAGREB, August 30, 2018 – Attending an informal meeting of EU defence ministers in Vienna on Thursday, Croatia Defence Minister Damir Krstičević said that southeast Europe is faced with a series of security issues and that the EU has the mechanisms that can strengthen stability there, and one way is to include those countries in the common EU defence policy, the Croatian ministry said in a press release.
EU defence ministers met in Vienna on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss cooperation between the EU and Southeast European countries and current EU security initiatives.
Krstičević underscored that southeast Europe is faced with a series of issues that impact the stability of the entire region, which requires significant engagement and attention from the Union, particularly in the context of the influx of irregular migrants, the press release said.
He underscored that the EU has several mechanisms at its disposal that can contribute to strengthening stability and building institutional capacities in those countries that are necessary to face up to the existing challenges.
One of those mechanisms is strong EU support for these EU aspirants on their path to accession and strengthening partner-like relations by including SEE countries in the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), said Krstičević.
Krstičević underscored the importance of permanent cooperation with NATO, having in mind the complementarity of the EU and that defence alliance, and stressed the need to combine EU security and defence initiatives that will result in a efficient development of Europe’s defence ability, said the press release.
