Prime Minister Andrej Plenković presented the priorities of the Croatian presidency to the European Parliament and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Under the motto “A Strong Europe in a World of Challenges”, the Croatian presidency intends to provide pertinent answers to European citizens’ concerns, stressed Prime Minister Plenković in his speech presenting the four main priorities of this presidency: a Europe that is developing, that connects, that protects and that is influential.
The work of the Croatian presidency will be focussed on an agreement on the new Multiannual Financial Framework, the orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, organising the EU-Western Balkans summit in May and preparing the Conference on the Future of Europe, he said.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed that, in order to move forward, it is important for the EU to have a new budget that is balanced and fair, but also modern.
MEPs supported the Croatian presidency’s plans, with some of them expressing concerns about the treatment of migrants on the Croatian-Bosnian border. “Regarding migration, we look forward to the new initiatives on the Dublin package. We must finally create a balance between responsibility and solidarity”, replied Croatian Prime Minister.
