"Croatia and Romania have 25 year-long diplomatic relations. Romania is a country close to us, a country with which we have many things in common, in politics, economy and culture," Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said after talks with his Romanian counterpart Sorin Grindeanu, who was on an official visit to Croatia.
We agree on the mutual need to strengthen, diversify and deepen our cooperation, both at the bilateral level and as partners in the EU and NATO, Grindeanu said.
The two prime ministers expressed satisfaction with the fact that bilateral trade had been improving, to which, they said, a memorandum of understanding signed earlier in the day by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and the Romanian Chamber of Industry and Trade, would contribute.
The document, said Plenkovic, would facilitate preparations for a joint economic forum to be held in Bucharest this year.
Grindeanu said that the forum would be held during a visit by Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic to Romania, expressing hope that it would further advance trade.
Last year trade between the two countries totalled EUR 270 million, but there is huge potential for its further increase, Grindeanu said.
Plenkovic expressed satisfaction with the fact that in 2016 close to 100,000 Romanian tourists visited Croatia.
The two prime ministers welcomed the fact that Croatia Airlines had established a flight service between Zagreb and Bucharest and that the Romanian national carrier Tarom also operated flights between Split and Bucharest.
The two prime ministers also attended the signing of an agreement on the mutual protection of classified information between the two governments.
By signing these documents we are demonstrating our intention to intensify our bilateral relations, said Grindeanu.
The two prime ministers also discussed cooperation with the EU Strategy for the Danube Region.
"As key Danube countries Croatia and Romania are interested in improving cooperation in the Danube region by using EU funds for regional development and cohesion policy and dealing with issues of better transport connectivity, notably river navigation, as well as environmental protection and tourism," said Plenkovic.
In that context, Plenkovic mentioned that last week Croatia's ambassador to Budapest, Gordan Grlic Radman, was appointed chair of the Danube Commission.
Plenkovic added that the Danube cooperation was important for two Croatian Danube River counties - Osijek-Baranja and Vukovar-Srijem counties - and the city of Vukovar as the main Croatian Danube river port. "I am glad that there is already an agreement between Vukovar and Constanta to make that cooperation concrete," said Plenkovic.
The two prime ministers also discussed the ethnic minorities.
Plenkovic said that he was glad Grindeanu was born in Carasova, a Romanian Croat minority community.
We expect the promotion of the Croatian identity of our minority to be visible in education possibilities, notably at Timisoara University, said Plenkovic.
Text: Hina