“You have chosen an important and honorable duty that requires a lot of knowledge and abilities, but above all, here I would like to point out that our expectations are great for all of you, and I expect your proactivity to make all of your energy, knowledge and patronage available to the Republic of Croatia and Foreign Service, “said the President of the Republic Kolinda Grabar Kitarović Diplomats.
Mladen Andrlic becomes Croatian Ambassador to Hungary, Gordan Bakot in the Republic of Serbia, Gordan Grlic Radman in the Federal Republic of Germany, Alexander Hein in the Slovak Republic, Petar Ljubicic in the Republic of India and Mario Nobilo in NATO.
Jasna Mileta goes to the Kingdom of Morocco, Igor Shows in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Alexander Sunko in the Hellenic Republic, Pjer Šimunović in the United States, Filip Vucak in the French Republic, and Jasen Mesic in the Italian Republic.
“Croatia will continue its foreign policy through cooperation with our allies within the European Union and NATO, as well as through cooperation with our neighbors,” the President said on that occasion.
“But we must be open to new investments and actively find new markets. We must not allow neglecting some destinations, especially Africa, Asian-Pacific and Latin America,” added President Grabar-Kitarović.
She stressed that strengthening bilateral relations and promoting international cooperation in the interest of all, especially nowadays, when no country or world power can solve independently burning global challenges such as climate change, migration and threats of terrorism.
“This year, when most states are marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, this is an exceptional opportunity and a starting point for further efforts for a more intensive and intensified effort to strengthen our political and economic relations,” the President said.
“We must strive for long-term goals. This is particularly true of the strengthening of a partnership dialogue with the United States and relations with key states of the world such as China and Russia, stronger relations with key partners in the Union and the Alliance such as France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, neighbors. There I expect to finally solve a number of open questions. To this end, we have started a step with Serbia, and we have an active dialogue with Slovenia. The shifts with Hungary are already seen in the new spirit of our relations.
Through the Mid-European Initiative of the Three Seas, we have launched a globally accepted project within which Croatia can multiply prosperity and make full use of its favorable geostrategic position. This initiative is essential and necessary to underline the importance of further strengthening the overall political, economic and infrastructural cooperation of 12 European Union member states in Central Europe. It offers cohesion of European space, encourages the realization of a European project and reduces the differences between members. This initiative contributes to strengthening the competitiveness and economic sustainability of the entire European Union in the global economy.
Our lasting strategic national interest remains the inclusion of the entire region of South East Europe in European and Euro-Atlantic integration because every other option extends the uncertainty and ultimately can lead to a renewal of division and separation. One of the most important foreign policy goals is the position and protection of the Croatian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which I see as a state of three equal constituent peoples: Bosniacs, Serbs and Croats. Croatians have a prominent role to play in leading the integration process that needs to be strengthened and strengthened.
I would particularly like to mention our emigration, whose role and contribution to the creation of the Croatian state must never be neglected. In our emigration, we have the economic, scientific, cultural and demographic potential that we need to recognize and evaluate in full and ultimately connect it to the Homeland for mutual benefit. Our immigrant and minority communities must be one of the key priorities in your work.
Convinced that we have met all of these and future challenges, I would like to thank all of you for having done so and I wish you a successful future, “the President of the Republic concluded.