President Milanović Meets with President of Italy Mattarella: The EU is a peace project and it would be good if it had a broader impact
“We present the European Union as a peace project, but globally, it is much less of one today than it used to be. In that sense, there are many questions and uncertainties. However, when we look at it from the perspective of our daily lives, our neighbourhoods, and our cooperation, the European Union has been beneficial and valuable for both Croatia and Italy. It would be good if it had that impact more broadly,” said the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović today, following a meeting with the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella, who is on an official visit to Croatia.
“Looking at the relationship between the modern Croatian political nation and modern Italy, we can say—when all is said and done—that the European Union has indeed been a concrete peace project,” President Milanović added, following his meeting with President Mattarella at the Office of the President of the Republic.
President Milanović described the meeting with his Italian counterpart as “substantive and held in the spirit of cooperation, reflecting the strong and longstanding relations that Italy and Croatia have enjoyed for years. This should always be highlighted as an example of best practices, good cooperation, and positive outcomes. We have had a complex history over the centuries, and I believe we can be pleased and satisfied with the past twenty years,” he concluded.
Both Presidents emphasized the strong friendship and comprehensive cooperation between their two countries. President Mattarella expressed his gratitude to President Milanović for the warm hospitality and noted that he was returning to Zagreb after ten years, recalling that his first visit to Croatia took place during his first term, shortly after being elected President of Italy.
“I am pleased to see that over the past decade, our cooperation has significantly strengthened in all areas – political, economic, and cultural,” said President Mattarella. He especially highlighted the importance of regular meetings at the government level, including bilateral ministerial sessions and trilateral meetings involving Croatia, Italy, and Slovenia.
A key topic of discussion was the role of national minorities—the Italian minority in Croatia and the Croatian minority in Italy—described as a “precious bridge of friendship” and a “guarantee of continued cooperation.” The two Presidents agreed that minorities are united not only by shared values but also by their concrete contribution to cooperation at all levels.
A significant portion of the discussion also focused on European issues, with both Presidents reaffirming their commitment to the European ideal of peace. “In a time marked by wars and instability, Croatia and Italy share the same goals: to build peace, stability, and cooperation on the international stage. Our bilateral cooperation is part of this broader European effort,” President Mattarella concluded.
During his official visit to Zagreb, President Mattarella will also meet with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Gordan Jandroković, lay a wreath at the Monument to the Homeland, and meet with representatives of the Italian national minority in Croatia.
President Mattarella previously visited Croatia officially in 2015 during his first term, just as President Milanović visited Italy officially in 2021 during his first term.
Italy is Croatia’s second-largest foreign trade partner by value. According to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, total trade between the two countries reached €8.41 billion in 2024, with Croatian exports to Italy amounting to €2.74 billion and imports from Italy totalling €5.67 billion.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta, Dario Andrišek