Croatia Backs Montenegro's EU Path With Key Agreement (PHOTO)

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 23. Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Gordan Grlić Radman, paid a working visit to Montenegro. During the visit, he signed an Agreement on the Donation and Return of the property-the Josip Marković Cultural Center in Donja Lastva-with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, Ervin Ibrahimović. The center will serve the needs of the Croatian community in Montenegro, Trend reports citing the Croatian Foreign Ministry.

This act represents a positive step in the further development of friendly relations between the Republic of Croatia and Montenegro, as well as a confirmation of open dialogue and readiness for concrete solutions benefiting minority rights and interstate cooperation. It also constitutes an important contribution to improving conditions for preserving the identity, language, and cultural heritage of the indigenous Croatian minority in Montenegro. Symbolically, it marks the return of a building originally constructed by the Croats of Donja Lastva in 1922.

Minister Grlić Radman thanked the Montenegrin side for their openness and understanding of the importance of providing institutional space for the Croatian minority. He emphasized that, beyond its practical function, the center holds strong symbolic significance as a place for preserving Croatian cultural heritage and passing traditions to future generations.

During the visit, the two ministers also discussed a number of bilateral and open issues. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of completing the harmonization process of the Agreement on Compensation for Croatian citizens forcibly detained in camps on Montenegrin territory in 1991–1992. Other topics included the resolution of issues related to the ship“Jadran,” the renaming of the swimming pool in Kotor, missing persons, the border, and the continuation of the work of the Mixed Committee on Minorities.

Minister Grlić Radman reiterated Croatia's strong support for Montenegro's European path, emphasizing that such concrete steps, like today's, represent exemplary progress and standards in meeting conditions beyond the EU negotiation process. In this context, the minister expressed confidence that the donation of the Josip Marković Cultural Center will further strengthen mutual trust and serve as a solid foundation for Montenegro's continued rapprochement with the European family.

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