Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said at an online forum of the Danube Region Strategy on Thursday that each member state should give a concrete contribution to the Danube region despite the health crisis and the coronavirus pandemic.

The Danube Strategy covers 14 countries of the Danube River region, including EU members Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Slovenia, as well as Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova and Ukraine.

Croatia is currently chairing the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, which is holding its 9th forum.

Cooperation between Danube River countries is realised through connectivity, environmental protection, prosperity and the strengthening of institutional capacity and security of the Danube region.

Croatia took over the chairmanship of the Danube Region Strategy on November 1, 2019.

PM Plenkovic said that the main goals of the Croatian presidency “have been accomplished over the past 12 months”, including “the strengthening of regional development, creation of synergy between macroregional strategies and cohesion policy, and cooperation with the countries of the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership.”

He noted that the Green Deal and digital transformation should also be included in the strategy.

Plenkovic announced that the 9th forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region would also be addressed by the Croatian innovator and founder of the Rimac Automobili company, Mate Rimac, “who symbolises innovation and digitalisation”.