Continuation of excellent bilateral cooperation between Croatia, North Macedonia

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman met on Thursday, 30 April 2026, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of the Republic of North Macedonia, Timčo Mucunski.

Grlić Radman underlined that Croatia and North Macedonia are bound by strong and friendly relations. As close partners, the two countries maintain a continuous and substantive political dialogue at all levels, complemented by extensive cooperation across numerous areas. The discussions held today further confirmed the mutual trust and high degree of alignment of positions.

It was emphasised that Croatia remains a strong and consistent advocate of North Macedonia's European perspective. A shared interest was expressed in the swift creation of conditions for the opening of accession negotiations, alongside Croatia's readiness to further deepen expert support through the transfer of knowledge and experience, in line with the needs of Macedonian institutions in preparing for this process.

"The continued efforts of both governments in the field of protecting the rights of minority communities in Croatia and North Macedonia are welcomed, as confirmed by the holding of the seventh session of the Intergovernmental Mixed Committee for the Protection of Minorities in February this year in Skopje."

The importance of humanitarian cooperation between the two countries, demonstrated in numerous instances, was also highlighted. The upcoming official visit from Prime Minister Andrej Plenković to North Macedonia in May this year was a key focus of the talks, and will be marked by the signing of an Agreement on Strategic Cooperation between the two governments. Confidence was expressed that this Agreement will provide a clear framework for the further development of bilateral relations and enable the implementation of joint projects in areas of mutual interest. Particular emphasis was placed on the potential participation of Croatian companies in infrastructure and energy projects, as well as cooperation in the defence industry and the IT sector.

The ministers also discussed the further integration of South-East European countries into the EU, highlighting the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans as an important instrument, as well as the need to strengthen and renew cooperation in other sectors, including healthcare, education and science, culture, and environmental protection. The ministers also exchanged views on current global security challenges and agreed on the importance of enhancing cooperation within NATO and the Adriatic Charter.

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