"During the term of this government we will advocate a strong Croatia within a strong European project. I believe in the European project and I believe that I and my colleagues won the election thanks to our forward-looking themes and firm anchorage in the political mainstream, which I will advocate without compromise," Plenkovic said in Zagreb at a conference on the present and future of the European Union, organised by the European Parliament's Information Office.
He said that his government would step up communication activities regarding the European project, adding that Croatia was "a sort of beacon of such policy" and that he would insist on it. "This, of course, does not mean uncritical consideration of our cooperation at the European level, it does not mean that we will not advocate our national interests," he noted.
Warning of the danger of populism and Euro-scepticism, Plenkovic stressed the need to consolidate the European project by strengthening trust in governments, institutions and parties that have the capacity to govern without polarising society and that will not criticise the European project without good reason.
Plenkovic stressed that he was confident that the European project was "good for Croatia and its citizens".
Speaking of the EU's new global strategy, adopted this June, Plenkovic cited the EU's enlargement and eastern neighbourhood policies, with countries such as Ukraine and Georgia, "two pillars within which our relations will be defined." He said that the EU needed determination and a vision in its security, development, trade and other policies and should increase its influence on those countries to ensure stability and economic development and resolve crisis situations.
"Enlargement policy is important to us. Our neighbours, notably Bosnia and Herzegovina, are our foreign policy priority," Plenkovic said, adding that Croatia would help its neighbours meet the necessary criteria for EU membership. "Regardless of the current events, only the European path can effectively protect the equality of the Croats as a constituent ethnic group in Bosnia and Herzegovina," he said. "We will insist on that policy."
Commenting on the migrant crisis as one in a series of challenges faced by the EU, including the institutional crisis of 2004/2005, the global financial crisis of 2008, the crisis with Russia and Brexit, Plenkovic said that the migrant crisis had resulted in the curtailment of free movement of people.
He called for strengthening all legal mechanisms, respect for the Schengen regime, a review of the Dublin regulation relating to asylum seekers, a better functioning of the European border and coast guard, and adoption of a regulation that would establish a clear entry and exist system for the EU.
Plenkovic said that he was pleased that in the context of the European coast guard Schengen members and non-members, such as Croatia, were treated equally. He said that the key to the migrant crisis was in the implementation of the EU-Turkey action plan and resolution of the problem at its origin.