The Croatian Paneuropean Union (CPEU) said on Sunday that Alain Terrenoire was re-elected International Paneuropean Union (IPEU) president at an IPEU General Assembly in Strasbourg at which he pushed for the inclusion of Southeast European countries into the EU.

We must integrate Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Serbia into the European Union as soon as possible. This should be done by considering their specific positions but not under criteria that existed 25 years ago, Terrenoire said.

Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman attended the General Assembly held this weekend in the European Parliament. He spoke of the priorities of Croatia’s presidency of the Council of the EU and of the EU integration of Southeast European countries.

“Croatia understands the countries in that part of Europe and I believe the Zagreb Summit in May will be an opportunity to define the policy on Southeast Europe in the next decade. We strongly support the opening of (EU accession) negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania, and I hope they will begin before the Zagreb Summit,” Radman said.

The CPEU’s incumbent and former president, Mislav Jezic and Pavo Barisic respectively, were re-elected to the IPEU presidency. Fourteen deputies from Croatia were among the 200 from 22 European countries attending the IPEU General Assembly.