President Milanović Discusses Membership Process for Croatia with OECD’s Secretary-General Cormann

The President of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Milanović received today Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OEDC), who is on his first official visit to the Republic of Croatia since assuming the office of Secretary-General of the OECD in 2021.

President Milanović expressed satisfaction with the continuation of the OECD enlargement process, initiated by Secretary-General Cormann after assuming office, and praised his view that the accession process should be based on each candidate country’s progress and merits. The Secretary-General commended the efforts of the Republic of Croatia in terms of meeting the criteria for OECD membership, and underlined the importance of inter-institutional support in the accession process, which is under way. In discussing the obstacles that Croatia is encountering on its path to OECD membership, they concluded that the expert knowledge and instruments of the OECD are welcome in helping solve these problems. The official visit of Secretary-General Cormann to Croatia can be interpreted in this context.

The delegation of the Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development included the Director for Global Relations Andreas Schaal, the Director for Legal Affairs Josée Fecteau, and the Head of Policy and Programme of the Office of the Secretary-General Abby Symes.

Alongside President Milanović were the Special Adviser to the President for the Economy Velibor Mačkić, the Adviser to the President for Foreign and European Policy Neven Pelicarić and the Chargée d’Affaires, a.i. in the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia to the French Republic Senka Burić.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan