One of the priorities of the European People's Party (EPP) is to find a European response to migrations, it was said on Wednesday at a joint conference between Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, EPP President Manfred Weber and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.

This week, the European People’s Party gathered in Split for study days, at its last large-scale gathering ahead of the European elections on 6-9 June next year.

EPP President Weber said at a joint press conference with Plenković and Metsola that this political group, currently the largest in the European Parliament, would present strong proposals for the future of the continent, based on three planks. The first one is the issue of migration.

We have to find a European response to migration, said Weber, underscoring that Europe was a continent that wanted to help those in need, but also that the EPP was a group that advocated strong border controls and the state deciding who arrived.

The second plank is the daily life of citizens, in the context of challenges such as inflation. The EPP wants economic success based on social justice, Weber said.

The third plank is that there are no first and second class citizens in Europe. During the pandemic, the EU ensured that all Europeans had access to vaccines, and now it is time to achieve this in other areas as well, Weber said, citing health care as an example.

In his address, the EPP leader praised Croatia, saying that for the EPP it was a winning country, a successful country with a clear pro-European approach.

Plenković underscored that a joint solution to the migrant crisis had to be found in order to stop illegal migration but at the same time apply national and European legislation and international norms.

That way, we will respect the human rights and dignity of those whose lives are put in danger by smuggling rings that profit from the difficult situation of other people, and this is the main message that we will jointly promote in the coming months, said the Croatian prime minister.

Plenković spoke about the achievements of his government, saying that it had not allowed a social fracture in society and that it had maintained social cohesion because that was one of its main principles – the Christian principle of solidarity.

We have been practicing this principle in all our policies over the past few years, he said.

Metsola: EU enlargement powerful geopolitical tool

Metsola spoke about the enlargement of the European Union, declaring it its most powerful geopolitical tool, which was a win-win process for both sides. She underscored that the EU had to keep its doors open and that it should be ready to start negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova as soon as possible.

The Maltese politician also praised Croatia, saying that it was a stabilising force in the European Union and in the Western Balkans and that it could be a role model to others.

She thanked Croatia for making its railway network and ports available for the transport of Ukrainian grain, noting that Ukraine also defended European values in its fight against Russia’s war of aggression, and that therefore Europe must not give up helping the war-affected country.