Plenkovic welcomes WEF's engagement in Southeast Europe

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Tuesday welcomed efforts and contribution by the World Economic Forum (WEF) to enabling Southeast European countries to join the fourth industrial revolution.

On Monday and Tuesday Plenkovic took part in a conference organised in Geneva by the WEF and attended by heads of state or government or government ministers of Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey.

"Today and last night I had the opportunity to talk to leaders of several Southeast European countries and several EU member states on WEF's possible contribution, primarily to the development of competitiveness, investment, digitalisation, innovation - what characterises the fourth industrial revolution and what WEF often talks about on the global level, now focusing on Southeast Europe," said Plenkovic.

"I think that that is the true added value of the engagement of an institution as prestigious as the WEF, which can help the economic development of Croatia and its neighbours," said Plenkovic.

An informal dinner held on Monday as part of the conference focused on important political topics in Southeast Europe, and on Tuesday participants in the conference discussed ways to continue their dialogue by making it part of WEF's regular activities in Davos.

The conference builds on the Berlin Process, which is aimed at helping Southeast European countries draw closer to the EU.

Plenkovic said that Croatia viewed this as part of preparations for its presidency of the EU in the first half of 2020.

"We are, as has been announced, willing to organise a summit meeting of EU member states and Southeast European countries during our presidency," Plenkovic said.

Text: Hina

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