Wrapping up his visit to Spain on Wednesday evening, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic announced "further strengthening of bilateral relations in the economy, science, culture and the Mediterranean Sea," as well as cooperation in international issues such as the Ukraine conflict, state agency Hina said.

“Spain has extended strong political support for Croatia’s membership in the Schengen area, the euro zone, and the OECD. We appreciate the cooperation in the Mediterranean,” Plenkovic said after meeting with Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez.

Although Croatia joined the EU in July 2013 it is still not part of neither the bloc’s Schengen passport-free travel area nor the euro zone, i.e. group of countries who have replaced their local currencies with the euro.

PM Plenkovic repeatedly stated that his government’s goal is to get Croatia into these two clubs. Although it is difficult to predict when exactly this might happen, Croatian government projects that Croatia might get EU clearance to join Schengen by the end of 2022, while also hoping that the local currency, kuna, might be replaced by the euro in 2023 at the earliest. Both clubs require the fulfillment of various criteria as well as agreement from existing member nations.

His arrival to Spain also marked the first official visit to that country by any Croatian prime minister in 26 years, since PM Zlatko Matesa in 1996.

PM Sanchez also said that Croatia and Spain would strengthen their bilateral relations and also praised the cooperation Spain has with Croatia in the Council of the EU, the bloc’s decision-making body.

Plenkovic also met with Meritxell Batet, President of the Congress of Deputies i.e. the lower house of Spanish Parliament, and “discussed cooperation between the two parliaments and also the humanitarian repercussions of the Russian aggression on Ukraine,” state agency Hina said, adding that Plenkovic also received an audience with King Felipe VI at the Royal Palace in Madrid.