Croatia Supports Kosovo's Accession To EU, Council Of Europe - Prime Minister

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published March 08, 2023 | 07:42 PM

The Croatian authorities support the accession of the partially recognized republic of Kosovo to the Council of Europe and the European Union amid denials by Serbia and several EU members of its independence, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said Wednesday

BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th March, 2023) The Croatian authorities support the accession of the partially recognized republic of Kosovo to the Council of Europe and the European Union amid denials by Serbia and several EU members of its independence, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Plenkovic met with Kosovar Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla-Schwarz in Zagreb. The minister presented Plenkovic with a sports uniform in Kosovo colors.

"Prime Minister Plenkovic noted the good and friendly relations between Croatia and Kosovo and Croatia's support for Kosovo in all forums with a focus on membership in international organizations, especially the EU and the Council of Europe. He welcomed Kosovo's application for EU membership and reiterated support for visa liberalization with Kosovo," the Cabinet press office reported.

The Croatian prime minister also noted the importance of further developing economic cooperation in the light of the January 2023 Croatia-Kosovo business forum in Pristina.

US Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier said on February 17, the 15th anniversary of Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence, that Pristina had made great progress and was gradually taking its place in European, Euro-Atlantic and international structures.

On March 1, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said at talks in Brussels with Kosovo's prime minister, Albin Kurti, that he had not reached an agreement on a French-German settlement proposal, which included Kosovo's gradual entry into the Council of Europe, UNESCO and the UN without formal recognition of independence by Belgrade. Vucic also noted that it was no longer correct to call the plan Franco-German, since it was promoted by Brussels and Washington.

In 2008, the Kosovo-Albanian structures in Pristina unilaterally proclaimed independence from Serbia. Since then, Kosovo has been recognized by 100 UN member states. In mid-December, Kurti handed over the application to join the European Union, though out of the 27 EU countries, Kosovo's independence still is not recognized by Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia, and Romania.