Plenkov: We want opening negotiations with Albania

So declared Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

We will insist on that. We go ambitiously to the Zagreb summit, with the clear goal of starting negotiations with Albania and MV”, he stressed.

According to him, Croatia's experience says that when negotiated it is not immediately seen the next step -- economic management that, according to him, is not quite apparent in negotiations for accession.

The Croatian prime minister added that from the EU-Western Balkans summit in Zagreb next May, he wants to deliver two important orders, the first to make all meetings systematicly and secondly all that is done in Union accession methodology, as it serves as the greatest incentive for candidate countries.

On January 1st, Croatia assumed the rotating presidency of the European Union Council from Finland, six and a half years after entering the union.

The start of the Croatian presidency will officially take place on January 9th, when European Commission members will go to Zagreb and when a concert with that occasion will be held at the Croatian National Theatre.

A concert will also be held in Brussels on 15 January to mark the start of the Croatian presidency, and this will coincide with the anniversary of Croatia's international recognition on 15 January 1992.

On January 9th, Zagreb will host a meeting of the European Commission under the chairmanship of President Ursula von der Leyeen.

The EU presidency is also seen as an opportunity to make Croatian society more sensitive to union themes, reports ATSH, broadcasts Klan Kosova.

“A strong Europe in a world of challenges” is the slogan Croatia has chosen for its presidency.

Its EU presidency programme is based on four pillars: A developing Europe; A Europe connecting; A Europe that is protecting and an influential Europe.

In the next six months, about 1400 meetings will be held at different levels, and most of them will be held in Brussels.