President Iohannis met Davor Ivo Stier , Croatian Deputy PM, to discuss strengthening bilateral political and economic cooperation

President Klaus Iohannis welcomed on Tuesday Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Davor Ivo Stier, with the talks underlining the importance of strengthening the Romanian-Croatian political and economic cooperation.

According to a Presidential Administration release, the discussions were aimed at the bilateral political and economic cooperation, topical issues on the EU's agenda and developments on a regional and international level.

"President Klaus Iohannis evoked, together with his interlocutor, the very good level of the bilateral relation, in the context of celebrating this year 25 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, highlighting the similarity of stands on aspects regarding the regional, European and international agenda, which provides a good basis for their further development," the release reads.

The two officials underscored the importance of strengthening the economic cooperation, as well as the bilateral political dialogue, President Klaus Iohannis reiterating the invitation extended to his Croatian counterpart of paying a visit to Romania.

In this context, the head of state hailed the introduction, in the near future, of direct flights between the two capitals.

During the discussion, they also maintained the importance of a close Romanian-Croatian coordination in the perspective of the two countries holding for the first time the presidency of the Council of the European Union, under the same trio, alongside Finland.

According to the release, the Croatian official underscored his country's position in the sense of a European project of an undivided and inclusive Union.

On a regional level, the two officials discussed the situation in the Western Balkans and underscored the need for supporting the countries in the region, evoking the importance of an enlargement policy of the European Union, which should be credible and have a transforming value.

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During a joint press statement with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia Davor Ivo Stier, Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Melescanu stated on Tuesday that Romania and Croatia have a special interest in "the irrevocable and irreversible anchoring of the region on the European path".

"I had a consistent and substantial dialogue with the Croatian counterpart," the Romanian Minister said. He added that among the large topics of the discussions, they tackled the bilateral collaboration within the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as the "affiliation to the trio of Presidents of the Council of the EU, a mandate which both countries will hold for the first time since their accession to the Union," Romania in 2019 and Croatia in 2020.

Melescanu said that in respect to the economic relations between the two countries "there is a very important cooperation potential that has to be capitalized on."

Moreover, he underscored that "Romania and Croatia have similar or very close visions on the majority of the European files and especially in the current context, but also for the future of the European project."

"Both Romania and Croatia have a special interest in the irrevocable and irreversible anchorage of the region on an European path," the head of Romanian diplomacy stated.

He added that within the discussions with the Croatian official also tackled was the situation of the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine respectively.

"The Executive of Chisinau and the majority of MPs are determined to maintain the European route," Melescanu said.

In respect to the situation in Ukraine, Melescanu underlined in agreement with his Croatian counterpart "the importance and necessity of fully implementing the Minsk agreements."

In his turn, the Croatian official said that his visit to Bucharest is part of a series of bilateral discussions. "We would want to intensify the relations with Romania [...] Our President will also pay a visit," Davor Ivo Stier said.

He assessed that the period in which the two countries, Romania and Croatia, will take over the Presidency of the Council of the EU is one "full of challenges." "We have to support the enlargement policy of the EU," the Croatian official added.

Davor Ivo Stier spoke concretely about the relations between the two countries.

"We have two bilateral agreements that were negotiated and are about to be signed — the cooperation agreement and a memorandum of understanding regarding our NATO defence collaboration," he said. In this respect, Davor Ivo Stier said that there is a need of a higher "connectivity" between the two countries.

He announced that starting 19 May, there will be direct flights between Zagreb and Bucharest, three times a week.

"I believe it is an important step that will bring closer the two nations," the Croatian official said.

The Croatian Foreign Affairs Minister stated that there are also collaboration plans in the Danube area and the Port of Constanta area.

"In regards to the Danube and the Port of Constanta, we would like to encourage the cooperation in this sector. We have excellent bilateral relations," he said.

Davor Ivo Stier brought to mind the inauguration of an Orthodox parish in Zagreb. "I'm glad to announce Patriarch Daniel of the opening of this church, and I am convinced that this way our nations will find an opportunity to come closer together," Davor Ivo Stier also stated.

The Croatian Deputy PM is paying an official visit to Romania.

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