Zagreb, March 28 (CTK) – The Czech Republic supports the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkans, President
Milos Zeman said on a visit to Zagreb yesterday, but added that he believes the integration should not include Kosovo.
Zeman also expressed his disapproval of the multi-speed EU idea at a press conference following his meeting with Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, according to the local HRT television.
Kitarovic said political relations between the two countries are very good and that she would also like bilateral relations to intensify in other areas, such as consultations on European policies, cooperation within the EU and NATO as well as bilateral cooperation, mainly economic.
Croatia is open to Czech investments, Kitarovic said.
She said she can see a promising potential in the business activities of Croatian firms in the Czech Republic and vice versa.
Zeman agreed with her that investments need to be increased. Apart from tourism, Czechs plan investments in the banking and energy sectors in Croatia, HRT reported.
Kitarovic emphasised Zagreb’s interest in cooperating with the Visegrad Four (V4) group comprised of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.
She said she would like one of the next V4 meetings to be held in Croatia in the presence of the presidents of the V4 countries and also Croatia’s neighbours Slovenia and Austria, HRT reported.
Zeman said Croatia might be very useful to the V4 thanks to its experience with the migrant crisis. In this connection, Zeman voiced concern about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s threat that he might let three million refugees leave Turkey for Europe.
