15 October 2022

The celebrations for the 30th anniversary of official relations with the Republic of Croatia, organized by the Ambassador of the Republic of San Marino to Croatia, H.E. Marina Emiliani, in cooperation with the Croatia-San Marino All Party Parliamentary Group and the support of Banka Kovanica, were held today in Zagreb.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luca Beccari, who arrived in the morning accompanied by a diplomatic delegation, met with the Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Gordan Grlić Radman. The two ministers, as part of a private conversation, discussed of issues concerning the bilateral relations, and Minister Beccari suggested to further strengthen the relations between the two countries, including within the framework of the European Strategy for the Adriatic Ionian Region (EUSAIR).

Another pivotal topic discussed during the bilateral meeting was the negotiations of the Association Agreement with the European Union, with respect to which Croatia has always offered and continues to offer San Marino concrete support. Croatia also showed its full support for San Marino to be involved in the European Political Community, also in view of the current international scenario.

During the conversation, the two counterparts also discussed the international agenda and the exchange of like-minded positions to address global challenges resulting from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The celebrations continued with the signing by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and his counterpart Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of two specific Memoranda of Understanding related, respectively, to policy consultations and cooperation in the areas of culture, education, higher education and scientific research, also in the presence of the Minister of Culture, Andrea Belluzzi, who was already in Zagreb from the previous day for institutional meetings, and the Undersecretary of State at the Croatian Ministry of Culture and Media, Krešimir Partl.

In the afternoon, the San Marino delegation moved to the headquarters of the Croatian Parliament for a meeting with the Vice President of the Parliament, Željko Reiner, in the presence of the President of the Croatia-San Marino All Party Parliamentary Group, Paolo Rondelli, and the President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Croatian Parliament, Gari Cappelli.

This was followed by the long-awaited Concert of the San Marino Chorale entitled "Songs for Friends," in the prestigious Hall of the Academy of Arts and Sciences, introduced by welcome speeches by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luca Beccari, Ambassador Marina Emiliani, the President of the All Party Parliamentary Group, Paolo Rondelli, and Nicola Ceccaroli, representative of Banka Kovanica, which was the main sponsor of the cultural initiative, as well as a number of Croatian institutional representatives.

The celebrations ended with a reception, hosted by San Marino Ambassador Marina Emiliani, in cooperation with the San Marino-Croatia All Party Parliamentary Group.

San Marino, 15 October 2022