Plenković in Davos: Transatlantic partnership is important for global security

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković is attending the Annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Today, he participated in the discussion on the topic "Enlargement to Prosper: Will Europe Grow?", and held a number of bilateral meetings, including with the President of Ukraine and the President of Azerbaijan.

In his address to the panel, Prime Minister Plenković recalled that Croatia became the 28th member of the European Union on 1 July 2013, and along with Greece, which joined in 1981, it is the only country to have joined the EU on its own.
 
He said that our country joined the Union almost 10 years after one of the biggest enlargements in 2004, and cited the consequences of Milošević's Greater Serbia aggression as the reason, which, as he said, slowed down the accession process of all former Yugoslav countries, except Slovenia.
He also recalled that in the 1990s, the European Union was open to enlargement, especially when it came to countries behind the Iron Curtain. He explained that the conditions for joining the Union were later tightened, but that Croatia managed to meet them thanks, among other things, to cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.
 
He considered it good that our country joined the European Union at a time when it was ready for membership. He also recalled the decision of his first government to further integrate Croatia into the European Union, which it ultimately achieved by entering the Schengen area, the eurozone, and the European Stabilization Mechanism.
 
Croatia is better off today, the benefits of membership in the Union are clearly visible
 
The Prime Minister said that the benefits of membership are clearly visible, adding that nine years ago Croatia's level of development was 62 percent of the EU average, now it is 78, and by the end of this Government's third term the ambition is to reach 82 percent.
 
He also emphasized that Croatia is a much better and more organized country today, and the effects of membership are visible in economic, developmental and infrastructural terms, as well as in values ​​such as the rule of law, which he considers important for Croatian citizens and society.
 
He also recalled that the mood on enlargement within the European Union is changing and pointed out that he has not seen such a positive attitude of political leaders towards enlargement for a long time. He added that the Russian aggression against Ukraine has changed a lot. He took as an example the fulfilment of NATO's requirement to allocate 2 percent of GDP for defense and the European perspective of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.
 
In addition to the budgetary implications, he mentioned another important issue related to enlargement, which is the decision-making process in the European Union and the structure of institutions.
 
We support the European path of all candidate countries
 
In a statement to the media, he referred to the further enlarment of the European Union.
 
There is momentum regarding the enlargement process, he said, and the new Commission wants a new enlargement strategy and wants the institution's new mandate to finally see someone become a member of the EU after Croatia.
 
In this respect, the changed atmosphere favors faster dynamics with the countries of Southeast Europe and with Ukraine and Moldova.
 
"We support the path of all these countries. We want them to meet the criteria, to undertake reforms, we transfer our knowledge and political support," he stressed out.
 
He adds that it is necessary to take into account the internal, previous reforms of the European Union, because every new enlargement implies changes within the framework of the institutional balance, that is, the decision-making process within the European Union and representation in the institutions.
 
In addition, there is the budgetary influence of the new members on certain policies, primarily agricultural and cohesion, but also the financing of all needs in general.
 
A pragmatic approach in negotiations on possible tariffs between the EU and the USA
 
Asked how the European Union should, in principle, position itself according to President Trump's announcements on the introduction of tariffs, the Prime Minister assessed that the first messages that were sent were still a reflection of the mood and dynamics during the pre-election and election period.
 
A pragmatic approach is needed, the Prime Minister emphasizes.
 
"When it becomes clear what the new tariffs would be, whether they will be broad-based or specific to certain products and services, then a common position will be formed on the part of the European Union and discussions and negotiations with the United States of America will take place," he said.
 
It is not the point that the transatlantic partnership, which is important for global stability and security, should come into question because of trade and economic relations, stressed Prime Minister Plenković.
 
He is convinced that good solutions can be found.
 
We continue to strongly support Ukraine
 
Prime Minister Plenković also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today. "We continue to strongly support Ukraine, which is heroically defending itself against Russian aggression," Plenković emphasized at X and announced the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Denis Šmihal to Croatia.
In a statement to the media, the Prime Minister said that he meets with President Zelensky regularly, and today's meeting was primarily dedicated to further support and a statement of solidarity.
 
After the arrival of US President Trump, he added, both President Zelensky and everyone else expect new initiatives that would go towards achieving peace.
 
However, he emphasized that Ukraine's position, in which Croatia supports it, is that this peace must in any case be just and not end in a way that rewards the one who committed the aggression, which is Russia.
 
He added that they are waiting for a clearer position from the new American administration.
 
Ukraine is still ready, according to what he has seen, to defend its freedom and territory, but like everyone else, it wants peace.
 
Agreement on the avoidance of double taxation between Croatia and Liechtenstein
 
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković spoke with Iraqi President Latif Rashid about the situation in the Middle East, bilateral relations and opportunities for strengthening economic and energy cooperation. "The experience of Croatian experts and companies can also be useful in the process of demining and rebuilding infrastructure in Iraq," he said on the X platform.
 
In a conversation with Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein, he confirmed the friendly relations between the two countries.
 
"The bilateral agreement on the avoidance of double taxation, which I signed today with Prime Minister Daniel Risch, will contribute to the deepening of our partnership," said Prime Minister Plenković.
 
We will insist on strengthening economic cooperation and trade and encourage even more companies from Liechtenstein to recognize the potential of doing business in Croatia, he added.
 
Strengthening energy and economic cooperation between Croatia and Azerbaijan
 
He also met with the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and said that the dialogue on a number of bilateral and global topics continues, and the priority is to strengthen energy and economic cooperation.
 
He recalled that in the fall of 2023 he was on an official visit to Azerbaijan, and a few months ago at the COP 29 Conference in Baku.
 
The dialogue, which he assessed as very good, is regular. The huge quantities of oil that Croatia imports for its needs come from Azerbaijan, and the same is true when it comes to gas, and that is why this dialogue is very important.

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