ANKARA

Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman, on an official visit to Ankara, on Tuesday affirmed his country's continued support for Türkiye's EU accession bid.

Addressing a panel discussion on EU enlargement and the situation in the region at the Presidential Complex in the capital, Gordan Grlic Radman said: "As for Croatia, we have always advocated for a constructive dialogue and engagement between EU and Türkiye."

He described Ankara as an "important and valuable candidate," adding that Türkiye and Croatia opened accession negotiations on the same day in 2005.

Türkiye has been an official candidate for EU membership since 2005, but progress towards its accession has been stalled for years. Croatia, meanwhile, became an EU member in 2013.

Recognizing the complexities of EU-Türkiye relations, Radman said: "It is in our mutual interest to improve relations, and our relationship should be more cooperative and less confrontational."

He underscored the importance of collaborating on key issues, citing the Western Balkans as a prime example.

The minister also pledged Croatia's active support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's EU path, encouraged broader Western Balkans progress, and stressed the importance of fulfilling criteria for EU enlargement by 2030.

For his part, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Mehmet Kemal Bozay touched upon the bilateral relations between Türkiye and Croatia, emphasizing their collaborative efforts in promoting peace, prosperity, and stability in the Balkans.

Reflecting on the historical cooperation of the two countries, Bozay highlighted reciprocal visits and the diversification of relations across politics, economy, culture, and tourism.

About global uncertainties and complexities, he emphasized the importance of regional stability and the EU's potential role in the Balkans.

He praised the Türkiye-Bosnia and Herzegovina-Croatia trilateral cooperation mechanism as an example of collaborative problem-solving.

Earlier, Radman addressed a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, and also met Türkiye's former Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusolgu.