Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic is flying to Athens on Monday for an informal meeting of leaders in the region at the invitation of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to mark the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the "Declaration of Thessaloniki" of the EU-Western Balkans Summit.

During his stay in Athens, the Croatian prime minister will also hold a bilateral meeting with the host Mitsoakis for the talks on the detention of dozens of the Dinamo Zagreb football club’s fans after the 7 August deadly clashes with AEK supports in the Greek capital city.

PM Mitsotakisis is receiving Western Balkans and EU member state leaders at Maximos Mansion on Monday evening for an informal discussion on the enlargement and the European future of the region.

Local media have quoted a source from the Greek government as saying that this initiative of their premier “underlines Greece’s role as pillar of stability, peace and energy security in the Balkans and in southeastern Europe.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel have confirmed their participation in this gathering.

Apart from them also, prime ministers, Plenkovic of Croatia, Nikolai Denkov of Bulgaria, Ion-Marcel Ciolacu of Romania, as well as prime ministers, Dimitar Kovacheski of North Macedonia, Borjana Kristo of Bosia and Herzegovina, Albin Kurti of Albania and presidents, Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia, Jakov Milatovic of Montenegro and Maia Sandu of Moldova are expected at the dinner and meeting.

Plenkovic and Mitsotakis will hold bilateral talks before that summit on the fan violence outside the AEK stadium in which AEK supporter Michalis Katsouris was stabbed to death.

Plenkovic already held telephone conversations with his Greek counterpart about that tragic incident and about the proceedings conducted against 102 Dinamo fans arrested since the death of the 29-year-old Katsouris.

Plenkovic is being accompanied by Justice Minister Ivan Malenica and Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman during his visit to Athens. The two ministers are in touch with their respective Greek counterparts.