"We must stop competing in claiming which people is the most numerous and therefore the most influential. Instead, I suggest that we compete in who will be better and more efficient in developing cooperation," Mesic said at the 8th summit of the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP).
The annual summit is attended by the presidents and prime ministers of nine countries of the region -- Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, Turkey, and Albania. Mesic called on his counterparts to be visionaries of the Balkan solution and once and for all set the frameworks for the future development of the region.
"I believe that only such a regional vision can be our best response to organised crime, illegal migrations and terrorism," the Croatian head of state said.
Mesic said we all must fight against prejudice according to which regional interests are against our national interest.
"The truth is quite the contrary: regional interests do not obliterate national interests in any way," President Mesic said. He called on the gathered regional leaders to put common interest and openness towards one another above the irrational and unfounded fear of European expansion.
On the fringes of the summit, Mesic held talks with EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn who, according to Mesic, is almost entirely convinced that Croatia would meet all criteria for joining the EU.
Mesic also held talks with the host of the summit, Romanian President Traian Basescu, who shared Romania's experience from EU entry talks.