Zagreb - An interparliamentary meeting of the EU MED9 Foreign Affairs Committee will be held over the next two days in Split and will focus on numerous challenges facing countries not only in the Mediterranean but across Europe, it was said on Monday at a press conference.
The theme of the meeting is the Mediterranean as a source of strength for Europe.
In January this year, Croatia assumed for the first time the year-long presidency of the MED9 group of Mediterranean EU member states, which comprises Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Cyprus, Portugal, Slovenia and Croatia.
The chair of the Croatian Parliament’s Foreign Policy Committee, Andro Krstulović Opara, said that Split was drawing significant diplomatic and political attention, not only as a hub of the Croatian Adriatic but also as one of the key Mediterranean centres.
He expressed confidence that MED9 countries, through their parliaments, will press their governments to take challenges more seriously.
Split Mayor Tomislav Šuta said the meeting would address security, climate change and economic issues, adding that it served as a prelude to the autumn MED9 summit.
The vice-rector of the Dr. Franjo Tuđman University of Defence and Security, Gordan Akrap, stressed that sustainable development depends on security conditions, noting the close link between tourism and safety.
He added that the Mediterranean faces multiple risks and challenges, including political developments in North Africa and the Middle East, illegal migration, drug and human trafficking, and organised crime.
Participants in the Split meeting will also discuss the role of the Western Balkans in strengthening Mediterranean stability, as well as issues of security, sustainability, resilience and geostrategic importance.