ZAGREB, May 18, 2018 – Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, speaking in Sofia on Thursday, expressed his satisfaction that the closing declaration about European prospects for Western Balkan countries welcomed Croatia’s intention to organise the next EU-Western Balkans summit during its presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2020.
“Through our diplomatic activities we have managed to ensure that the Sofia declaration welcomes Croatia’s initiative for the next EU-Western Balkans summit to be held in Zagreb in 2020,” Plenković said after the summit of the EU countries with the six Southeast European countries aspiring to EU membership. This was the first such summit after 15 years, the last being held in Thessaloniki in 2003.
“That is a strong message by our government that we want to help our neighbours in the region, on the 20th anniversary of the Zagreb summit which opened Croatia’s European prospects,” Plenković said. He added that at this summit he sent a message to the countries in the neighbouring region that it was essential to fulfil the criteria and to be well prepared and that they would have Croatia’s support.
Plenković said he had several informal bilateral meetings, including a brief meeting with Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić. “It is a fact that Serbia is in negotiations. There is still a lot of work to be done and it is important that relations are relaxed. It is necessary to be fair and strict, but we need to accelerate the progress of our neighbours toward the EU rather than slow it down,” Plenković said.
He said he hoped the dispute between Macedonia and Greece over Macedonia’s name would be resolved soon, which could finally unblock Macedonia’s pathway toward NATO and the EU after many years of waiting.
