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Croatia's EU chairmanship, a historic moment for the country
In the first six months of 2020 Croatia will be "at the helm of the joint project of further building a strong Europe in the world full of challenges."
A growing and developing Europe, a Europe that connects economically, energy-wise and infrastructure-wise, a Europe that protects and is influential on the global scene, are the four pivotal areas of our presidency, the Croatian Ambassador in Bucharest Marija Kapitanovic said at the event that marked the taking over by Croatia of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
An informal summit on the Western Balkan countries will be held in Zagreb in May, said Croatian Ambassador in Bucharest Marija Kapitanovic.
"We believe in supporting a credible and merit-based enlargement policy (...). One of our priorities is the enlargement policy. For us, for Croatia, the enlargement policy is a guarantee of European progress and stability and developments in this area," said the Croatian diplomat.
She went on to talk about the objectives of the Zagreb summit. "There are two aspects: how to reinvigorate the enlargement process, how to keep the focus on the enlargement process, when we talk about Brussels's perspective; on the other hand, when we talk about the Western Balkans, we talk about ways to renew the reform process, how we can give impetus to this reform process and finally how to reconcile these two positions. We believe that discussions on the new methodology should not be obstacles to the opening of negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania," added Marija Kapitanovic.
The diplomat spoke of her country's "optimism" with regard to the European Union. "We are a relatively new EU state, we are still optimistic. We still remember very clearly the feeling of wanting to be part of this association," she said.
A credible enlargement process of the European Union is a strategic investment and the accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia should be opened "without further delay or preconditions," Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu said.
"If we are talking about a Europe that has influence, this starts in our region. That is why the Croatian Presidency's emphasis on the enlargement process is welcome," he said.
In this regard, the Romanian top diplomat spoke about the expansion plans in the Western Balkans.
"We believe that a credible enlargement process of the European Union is extremely important, it is a strategic investment in the stability, security and prosperity not only of the candidate states, but also of the entire continent. We should therefore reach important decisions and open up the accession negotiations with Albania, with North Macedonia without further delays or preconditions and this should happen before the Western Balkans Summit in Zagreb," Aurescu said.
Speaking of the peace plan for the Middle East presented by US President Donald Trump, Aurescu said that any demarche, which is aimed at solving the Israeli - Palestinian conflict, to the both sides' benefit and which gives a thrust to the pace process in the Middle East, must be saluted.
"I have always upheld the importance of getting involved and coordinated with the US in the file on the peace process in the Middle East. There cannot be a peace process and a sustainable solution without the US' involvement," Aurescu said.
He also brought to mind the position of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on this topic, a position that "was agreed by all capitals of the EU member states and which, basically, mentions that this plan proposed by the United States represents an opportunity to relaunch the efforts that are extremely necessary for obtaining a negotiable and viable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."
"Romania will continue to plead for a sustainable solution to this conflict, grounded on a just, comprehensive and sustainable agreement, based on the solution of the two states, Israel and Palestine, which should coexist in pace and security and which remains the only viable option to respond to the aspirations of both sides," Aurescu pointed out.
Aurescu highlighted that a consultation process will be initiated within the EU. "We shall actively participate within this consultation process, which will shape up (...) common and unitary positions based on international law principles, according to the legal framework agreed within the UN. All relevant actors must be involved, especially those on a regional level," the Foreign Minister also said.
In context, he underscored "the need for direct dialogue between the sides, as well as some measures to increase confidence between the sides, an effort to which the EU can bring significant contributions as well."