​(Communicated by the President’s Spokesperson)
 
President Reuven Rivin this afternoon (Tuesday, 24 January 2017), met at his residence with Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković, accompanied by the country’s Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister Damir Krstičević, and Deputy President of the Croatian Parliament, Milijan Brkić.
 
“I know that we have much to discuss, including the G2G engagements,” said the President, and added, “I want to thank you for Croatia’s support for Israel in the international arena”. The President went on to speak of the warm ties between the countries, and the wide range of cooperation and partnership. He stressed the importance of international cooperation in the face of the threat of terror, and similarly in dealing with the changes in the Middle East and the refugee crisis. He said, “What is happening to the Syrian people has an immediate impact on the whole of Europe.”
 
Prime Minister Plenković thanked the President for his warm words and said, “This is great timing, and a great opportunity to enhance our relationship with this visit. I think we have opened new avenues of cooperation when it comes to political, economic and trade relations, and defense and security cooperation. I would say we have a better understanding of each other’s position in our regions; you in a very complicated environment and neighborhood, and us in South East Europe but being members of NATO and the EU.”