British News Agency

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic announced that he had participated in the informal Friends of Cohesion meeting hosted by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Romanian President Nicusor Dan ahead of the European Council meeting.

Plenkovic stated that the meeting aimed to coordinate their positions on the European Union's Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028–2034, noting that Croatia advocates preserving funding for the EU's traditional policies.

Plenkovic emphasized that cohesion, agriculture and fisheries policies are important for narrowing the development gap between Croatia and other EU member states and strengthening the competitiveness of the Croatian economy.

Expressing confidence that an agreement could be reached on an ambitious and balanced Multiannual Financial Framework that addresses the new challenges facing Europe, Plenkovic stressed that the EU's fundamental values and the principle of solidarity must not be abandoned during the process.