President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker praised Croatia as a model EU member and emphasized that he feels the Croatian government is ready to take over the presidency of the EU Council starting tomorrow, which will commence in the first half of 2020.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Deputy Prime Ministers Marija Pejčinović Burić and Martina Dalić participated in a working lunch in Brussels on Wednesday with all the commissioners of the European Commission. Afterward, Prime Minister Plenković had a separate bilateral conversation with Juncker. The meeting discussed preparations for Croatia’s presidency of the EU Council in 2020 and the priorities of that presidency, Croatia’s views on the future of Europe, the strategy towards the Western Balkans, and economic and financial issues of the EU.
‘Since becoming an EU member, Croatia has behaved appropriately as all the results it has achieved show that it takes its European commitments seriously. Among these commitments, it is worth mentioning the internal success regarding budgetary policy, where it is proving to be a model country for others,’ said Juncker.
Appropriate Member
Juncker stated at a press conference that Croatia is not a new country for him, as he has followed it through all stages of its journey towards the EU.
“Since becoming an EU member, Croatia has behaved appropriately as all the results it has achieved show that it takes its European commitments seriously. Among these commitments, it is worth mentioning the internal success regarding budgetary policy, where it is proving to be a model country for others,” said Juncker.
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Juncker stated that preparations for Croatia’s presidency have already begun. “Long preparations are needed for this, but I have the feeling that the Croatian government is prepared in the best possible way and could start the presidency as early as tomorrow morning at 11 o’clock,” he said, adding that there are no significant differences regarding the EU between Croatia and the Commission.
He emphasized that he is pleased to have received “his friend, the Croatian Prime Minister, whom he often sees” at the Commission’s headquarters, adding that “every time they see each other, they fall in love with each other again.”
Two Strategic Goals
Plenković assessed the meeting as extremely substantive, where he presented Croatia’s views on topics relevant to it.
He highlighted the importance of implementing the national reform plan and ambitions regarding entry into Schengen and the Eurozone.
“These are our two strategic goals for Croatia to be part of what we call the inner circle of the EU. This is our clear policy and ambition, which we have the support of the Commission for,” said Plenković.
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The Prime Minister stated that Croatia wants to be successful in drawing cohesion funds, with the most visible and largest project being the construction of the Pelješac Bridge. “This is extremely important for Croatian citizens, and it is good that President Juncker highlighted this in his speech in the European Parliament last week in Strasbourg,” said Plenković.
Speaking about the enlargement strategy for Southeast European countries, which the Commission presented last week, Plenković said that Croatia will be “solidary, ready to support, and will always uphold the principle of individual merits and criteria for each state.”
He expressed his desire for negotiations on the multiannual financial framework for the period after 2020 to be completed before Croatia’s presidency of the EU, “so that we can then focus on issues of growth, economic connectivity, internal and external security, and of course enlargement.”
