Germany’s concerns regarding the preparedness of Croatia to join the European Union have abated – Gergely Prőhle, Deputy State Secretary in charge of European Bilateral Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared in Berlin on November 9.

Gergely Prőhle had meetings with several German politicians including Arnold Vaatz, Deputy Faction Head of CDU/CSU in the German Parliament, Gernot Erler, Deputy Faction Head of the Social Democrats, and other Members of Parliament from the FDP and the Green Party.

The Hungarian Deputy State Secretary recalled that a number of EU politicians – like the Speaker of the German Bundestag – had expressed their doubts about the preparedness of Croatia to join the European Union. Gergely Prőhle stated that he tried to „sooth” the qualms of his German partners during the talks. „I believe that I have succeeded” – he said.
The two sides agreed that Hungarian-German consultations would be conducted regularly on the issues of the Western Balkans and the EU enlargement process. As a  first step a conference with the Foreign Ministers of the Western Balkans states will take place in November, organised by the Aspen Institute, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hungarian Embassy in Berlin.  

The Deputy State Secretary stated that this would lead to the implementation of the idea that joint projects for the Western Balkans should occupy a central place in the cooperation between Hungary and Germany.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)