Europe Asia News

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said the MED9 Summit, held under Croatia's rotating presidency, is taking place in the city of Split.

Commenting on the summit, Plenkovic said he was pleased to welcome all guests to Split and stated, “Croatia's presidency is being carried out in line with our shared vision for a safer, more sustainable and more resilient Mediterranean.”

Recalling that Croatia also hosted the Three Seas Initiative Summit this year, Plenkovic said the two events demonstrate Croatia's position as a connecting point between the Mediterranean and Central Europe.

Plenkovic said structural changes in the global environment mean that the stability of the European Union cannot be considered separately from the stability of its broader surroundings, noting that energy security, supply chains and migration movements are affected by interconnected challenges.

Plenkovic said growing geoeconomic pressures, including access to energy, directly affect the EU's competitiveness, cohesion and resilience, adding, “The Mediterranean has become a key area where many of the EU's strategic challenges intersect.”

Plenkovic said that during Croatia's MED9 presidency, the Mediterranean is not viewed merely as a vulnerable region, but as a space where security, competitiveness, resilience and sustainability are increasingly intertwined.

Plenkovic said the summit will discuss how the Mediterranean's potential can be harnessed to turn it into a strategic advantage for the EU's competitiveness and resilience, as well as how the region's sustainability can be strengthened.