Our goal is to further improve the connectivity of the Baltic, Black and Adriatic seas

We also aim to connect the Baltic, Black and Adriatic Seas, improve our infrastructure, transport and energy connectivity, and give a joint impulse to further processes of digital transformation and keeping pace with global trends, he added at a joint press conference with the President of the Republic of Poland Karol Nawrocki and the President of the Slovak Republic Peter Pellegrini

This year's summit was held ten years after the founding of the Three Seas Initiative, and the Prime Minister expressed particular satisfaction with the fact that the guests included two of the Initiative's founders - former President of the Republic of Croatia Kolinda Grabar Kitarović and former Polish President Andrzej Duda, who, outside of their previous duties, were able to see how the Initiative is developing brilliantly, emphasized Plenković.

"The importance of the vertical connection of the European North and the European South is reflected in the fact that we are talking about 13 European Union member states from Central and Eastern Europe. The goal is to connect the Baltic, Black and Adriatic Seas, to strive to improve our connectivity - both in infrastructure, transport and energy - and to give a joint impulse to further processes of digital transformation and catching up with global trends, especially when it comes to artificial intelligence," said the Prime Minister.

He assessed that today's summit is taking place in significantly changed global circumstances, recalling the continuous Russian aggression against Ukraine, which has been going on for five years, the war in the Middle East, as well as the resulting energy crises that affect both the economy and the social standard of all citizens.

Italy for the first time in the status of a strategic partner

All this gives us the right to believe that better cooperation between these countries should ensure stronger economic growth, greater resilience to crises and, ultimately, the strengthening of this part of the European Union, which represents countries with dynamic economic growth, which represent practically a third of the population in the EU and countries that are developing well and well, said Plenković.

"In our presidency, we have decided to strengthen international partnerships, alongside traditional partners," he continued, expressing satisfaction that Italy was also in the status of a strategic partner for the first time.

As the host, Croatia also invited Bosnia and Herzegovina, represented by the Co-Chair of the Council of Ministers Borjana Krišto, as a guest, with whom an agreement on the Southern Gas Interconnection between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina was signed today.
 
"With this, we are truly materializing the thesis of Croatia as a regional energy hub and the possibility that gas, through an appropriate gas pipeline, from Dugopolje, towards Zagvozd, Imotski and the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, can be transported from the LNG terminal on Krk to Bosnia and Herzegovina," said the Prime Minister.

Strengthening cooperation with international financial institutions

He also recalled the recently held parliamentary summit that revitalized and energized parliamentary cooperation, hosted in Zagreb by the President of the Croatian Parliament Gordan Jandroković.

"We consider this to be very good for strengthening the democratic legitimacy of this Initiative, and we have also paid special attention to strengthening cooperation with international financial institutions, many of which were present here at the table, and an agreement was signed today that, in the context of the European Investment Bank group, will be called the Fund of Funds in which Croatia participates through the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development," said Plenković.

He expressed his wish that this initiative be based on other international cooperation frameworks, such as the corridor connecting India with the Middle East and Europe, as well as Asian corridors, which, in addition to key infrastructure and transport, also key trade routes.

The Dubrovnik Declaration is the basis for further work during the Slovak presidency

The Prime Minister also mentioned the adoption of the Dubrovnik Declaration, noting that it is a quality platform for today's view of the leaders of the Three Seas Initiative summit and that it will serve as a basis for further work during the Slovak presidency.
He thanked everyone for their attendance and attendance, especially highlighting tomorrow's continuation of activities at the economic business forum, which, following the work of this Initiative, has once again gathered the largest number of participants this year - more than 1,500 businessmen, more than 700 companies from more than 40 countries.

This represents a very significant interest of the private sector in investing in all 13 countries participating in the Three Seas Initiative, which speaks of the attractiveness of this entire initiative where politics and economy are intertwined in the most concrete way, especially in the energy sector, which was also evident from a series of signed statements and agreements between the Croatian Government and the US Government and business partners, emphasized Andrej Plenković.

Several ways to secure financing for the Initiative's projects

Responding to a journalist's question about financing the Initiative, the Prime Minister said that there are several ways to secure financing for projects of common interest.

The first is to rely on institutional financing through various sources, whether national or European or international financial institutions, he said.

He recalled that representatives of the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, the Japanese Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the American Development Corporation were also in Dubrovnik today.

In addition to the institutional method, there is a possibility that as many projects that are important for the Three Seas Initiative countries as possible can be included within the framework of European sources of financing.

"And therefore, this new concept of a multi-annual financial framework that speaks of national and regional financing plans seems to me to be very useful for financing projects with a cross-border dimension," said Plenković.

As a third method of financing, he mentioned investments by private companies, banks, funds - all those who are interested in investments, profits and new jobs precisely in those countries where they, from their perspective, also see dynamic economic activity.

He assessed that this is precisely why such a huge response from entrepreneurs to the business forum in Dubrovnik is a clear signal that investors see the countries of Central and Eastern Europe as an engine of economic development for the entire continent.

Peace initiatives should be fair, respect international law and territorial integrity

He referred to the interest of American private investors in Bosnia and Herzegovina, saying that this is a new impulse because so far, although there have been certain investments, we have not witnessed projects of this scale.

As for Ukraine, Plenković reminded that the United States of America is currently focused on leading the peace process, which is very important and supported by everyone in the European Union.

"There is no one who would say that peace initiatives should not be pursued. However, these initiatives should be fair, they should respect international law, territorial integrity and should in no way put Ukraine in a situation where it de jure finds itself in a position to give up its territory. This should in no way be accepted, nor should it be the result of such negotiations," the Croatian Prime Minister emphasized.

Speaking about defense cooperation, he reiterated that at the European Council meeting in December, Ukraine was granted a loan of 90 billion euros for defense needs and for the functioning of the state, expressing his belief that Hungary will remove its reservation regarding the realization of this loan.

The US remains a key European partner

Regarding relations with the US, Plenković emphasized that Croatia is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, adding that transatlantic relations and peace in Europe in general, as well as the European construction itself, are largely determined by the US engagement after World War II.

He believes that these certain turbulences that exist in public communication between the US and Europe are nevertheless temporary and that efforts will be made on both sides to make this partnership strong

The strong US delegation that arrived in Dubrovnik also demonstrates America's commitment to Central Europe and Europe in general, according to Plenković.

The Croatian Prime Minister agrees with his Polish and Slovak colleagues that Europe must strengthen its strategic autonomy, but he emphasized that it is crucial to maintain partnership relations with the USA.

The Three Seas Initiative is "a driving mechanism for transatlantic cooperation", Polish President Karol Nawrocki said at a press conference alongside the Croatian Prime Minister and his Slovak counterpart.

He called Poland, invited to the G20 summit that will be held in Miami this year, the spokesperson of the Three Seas at that gathering.

He called the invitation itself a recognition for the entire region and for the members of the Initiative, which, if it were a country, would be the seventh largest economy in the world.

Slovak President Peter Pellegrini also rejected claims that the US is not loyal to Europe, adding that it is logical that if Washington invests in the continent, it will also care about its defense.

It will do so not only as a partner in NATO, but also as a country that invests in the protection of its interests, Pellegrini said.

His claim follows the words of Minister Wright, who emphasized the day before that energy partnerships create the most lasting alliances.