Cooperation between Kosovo – Croatia within intensive preparations for the SAA

The seminar was opened by the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of European Integration, Mr. Gëzim Kasapolli, Assistant Minister to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs, Mr. Nebojša Koharovic and UNDP’s Resident Representative in Croatia, Mrs. Louisa Vinton.

In the opening of the seminar Deputy Minister Kasapolli, stated: “Kosovo has fulfilled the short term benchmarks for opening negotiation for Stabilization and Association Agreement. In June, we are waiting for the green light to start negotiation as a first step for the anchorage of our relations with European Union. It is only the beginning of a long and complex process of Kosovo in the path to membership in the European Union. Organization of the seminar aims to exchange best practices with the state of Croatia in order to have a successful negotiation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement. I’d like to express special thanks to the sincere and strong support that Croatian Government is continuously providing to the Republic of Kosovo in our path towards EU. At the same time, I thank UNDP office in Kosovo, for the support in organizing this seminar.”

Assistant Minister Koharovic said: “The state of Kosovo and the state of Croatia enjoy excellent neighbor relations and share common past and future. Croatia has been and continuous to be a strong supporter of Kosovo’s international subjectivity and in this direction, we have strongly supported launching of the SAA negotiations between Kosovo and EU. As a 28th Member of the European Union we have the most recent and fresh experience of the integration process. I want to assure that you have our full support in transferring this experience to facilitate the integration process of Kosovo to EU.”

UNDP’s Resident Representative in Croatia, Mrs. Louisa Vinton said: “UNDP, especially UNDP office in Kosovo, is very satisfied to have had the opportunity of co-organizing the seminar. I believe that the share of experiences and transfer of the Croatia’s best lessons will be of a special importance and assistance to Kosovo. The process of European Integration is a process of increasing of general political, economical and social standards and as such it represents a particular priority to United Nations. UNDP in a close cooperation with various development agencies and international partners is very active in the Western Balkans and we possess a great expertise to assist the countries of the Western Balkans in their path toward EU. Today’s seminar is a practical example of an excellent cooperation between two countries in the process of European Integration.”

During the seminar, several key persons in the process of the European Integration of Croatia have lectured: Mr. Andrej Plenkovic, Former State secretary in the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and Croatia’s MP in the European Parliament, Mrs. Tamara Obradovic Mazal, former Deputy Chief Negotiator of Croatia, Mrs. Marija Pejcinovic Buric, Former Secretary of the State of the Ministry of Integration, Mr. Filip Dragovic, Former assistant to the Minister of the Internal Affairs, etc.

Deputy Ministers, Secretary Generals and heads of the independent institutions participated in this high level seminar.