The European Union has helped cement peaceful relations between Croatia and Italy and should serve as a model for wider regional cooperation, Croatian President Zoran Milanović said on Monday during a visit by his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Zagreb, Milanović described the EU as a “tangible peace project” that had helped transform relations between the two nations after a complex shared history.
“We had a complex, intertwined history over the centuries – there was a bit of everything,” Milanović said. “In our case, the relationship between Croatia as a modern political nation and modern Italy, we can say that the European Union has truly been a tangible peace project.”
He added that the EU is “much less than it once was” and warned of current uncertainties, but said the bloc still plays an essential role in promoting neighbourly cooperation.
“In terms of everyday life, neighbourly relations and cooperation, the European Union has been beneficial and useful for Croatia and Italy. It would be good if it played a similar role more broadly,” he said.
Mattarella echoed the sentiment, saying the EU was created to provide a vision of peace for a continent ravaged by war – a peace that has largely endured for over seven decades.
“This is one of those conditions that can serve as a model for other countries and the international community,” Mattarella said. “Europe has always sought and considered the need for security, but above all when it comes to forms of cooperation in the world.”
He added that Italy and Croatia “firmly support one another, share common goals,” and are committed to helping restore peace and stability in an international climate marked by war and instability.
“This is precisely why our cooperation is so valuable, and why new forms and instruments are being sought to help us move forward,” he said.
Mattarella previously visited Croatia in 2015 during his first presidential term, while Milanović paid an official visit to Italy in 2021.
Italy is Croatia’s second-largest foreign trade partner, according to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. In 2024, total bilateral trade reached €8.41 billion, with Croatian exports to Italy amounting to €2.74 billion and imports €5.67 billion.