Iliescu was speaking at a plenary session entitled "What Future for Europe?: Main Challenges for Governments and Economies," which closed the three-day meeting.
"Enlargement should not be viewed as a concession from rich EU countries to new candidates and members from Eastern Europe, but as a joint necessary effort to build Europe to the benefit of all citizens," Iliescu said, adding that the enlargement process was crucial for Europe.
The forum was officially closed by the former Secretary General of the Council of Europe and member of the Forum's Managing Board, Walter Schwimmer, who described the meeting as well-organised and successful.
"We have been in the Croatian capital Zagreb for two and a half days and I think we are all going home with the conviction that the host country, Croatia, just like Bulgaria and Romania, has its firm place in the united Europe," Schwimmer said.
Schwimmer said that other countries in Southeast Europe would follow Croatia and that "Europe would not be Europe without those countries, which are at the very heart of the continent."
Closing remarks were also made by the State Secretary at the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration and head of the Organising Committee of the 2nd Crans Montana Forum, Marija Pejcinovic Buric.