The ghosts of the past are haunting southeast Europe again and the only remedy is EU and NATO membership, said the Croatian President, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, speaking at the Mostar Medical Faculty on Monday.
Isolation from Europe is not an option, and our security is determined by, above all, our surroundings, she said.
“The most important thing is the stabilization of southeastern Europe which is facing many challenges,” Grabar-Kitarovic said.
She welcomed the continuous engagement of NATO, as a guarantee of long term stability for its members.
“That’s Croatia’s key national interest. The ghosts of the past are being revived in southeastern Europe. I don’t expect all countries to agree and that keeps us locked in the past,” she said.
She added that the region was exposed to various political influences and that Croatia is advocating for a „complete political emancipation.”
“We are witnessing numerous pressure aimed at distancing this area from the EU path. We respect each country’s decisions in choosing their partner independently but if they choose the EU, they will have us as partners,” she said.
Most important things for progress are the rule of law, the fight against corruption, and economy. Any bilateral disputes must be resolved before joining the EU, she said, adding that “the union’s Enlargement Strategy shows that the chances for enlargement are realistic.”
“We are happy about the recommendation for negotiations to be launched with Macedonia and Albania. The recommendation for Bosnia and Herzegovina is to urgently change the Election Law,” she said.
The Croatian President also spoke about the ongoing migrant crisis in the region.
“More than 600 thousand of them (migrants) passed through Croatia. We believe the only way (to tackle the migrant crisis) is a joint approach based on cooperation,” she said.
“It is crucial for the so-called Western-Balkan route to remain closed,” she said, adding that Croatia will provide support to Bosnia in tackling the issue because of the long border the two countries share.
