Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlic Radman on Friday attended an informal meeting of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) on the margins of the 77th General Assembly of the United Nations, the ministry said in a press release.

At the meeting Grlic-Radman said that good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation are very needed against the backdrop of the current challenges and times of crisis.

He called for the additional strengthening of resilience concerning the energy crunch.

The minister voiced support to the strengthening of cooperation between SEECP member states and to the process of the enlargement of the European Union to the aspirants in the region on the individual basis and achievements in reforms.

“Croatia welcomes the opening of accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia as an important moment,” the minister was quoted as saying in the press release.

He expressed hope that Bosnia and Herzegovina will be able to make significant progress in its EU path and soon be given status of candidate.

The relevant decision of the European Council will be based on the implementation of comprehensive reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the constitutional reform and the reform of the electoral law, and the forthcoming elections will be crucial for the demonstration of maturity of that country, said the Croatian minister.