Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic participated in a closed meeting of the leaders of the European People's Party (EPP) in Berlin on Friday and Saturday, and afterward highlighted the need for stronger global positioning of the EU.

“I emphasised the necessity of a strong positioning of the European Union at the beginning of a new institutional cycle, further support for Ukraine, and the participation of the EU in all peace negotiations that will follow,” he told reporters.

Plenkovic stated this during a morning speech alongside Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and pointed to the need for stronger investment in defence. “Croatia is already investing above 2% of gross national income in defence, and by 2027, our defence budget will be five times higher than it was in 2016 when I assumed the role of prime minister.”

He said one of the main topics of the meeting was the issue of migration and the fight against illegal immigration, which he identified as a problem that has led to the strengthening of right-wing parties in Europe. “Illegal migration has also caused a series of societal issues: from security concerns to the rise of xenophobia, changes in the labour market, and overall ways of life.”

As other important topics discussed, Plenkovic mentioned the need to strengthen competitiveness and increase investment in research and education. “We also discussed energy, not only in relation to climate transformation but also the fact that global oil and coal reserves will soon reach their peak, which could lead to a rise in energy prices.”

Plenkovic noted that during the meeting, he also pointed out the demographic problem faced by Croatia as well as other EU countries. “Regardless of the fact that this issue falls under the jurisdiction of member states, we must work together to reverse the negative trends.”

Yesterday, on the sidelines of the meeting, he met with the president of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz.

Plenkovic expressed hope that the CDU/CSU Union would win the early parliamentary elections in Germany at the end of February, which would make Merz the new German chancellor.