ZAGREB, September 19, 2019 - The Council of Europe is going through difficult times, and this international association should be returned to its original tenets, the new Secretary-General, Marija Pejčinović Burić said after she assumed office in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

In her speech, this former Croatian foreign and European affairs minister said that this organisation, which was established 70 years ago, should renew its aim.

In this context she recalled the Article 1 of the organisation's statute, which reads that "the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between its Members for the purpose of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are their common heritage and facilitating their economic and social progress."

This aim shall be pursued by dialogue, she added.

During my five-year term I would like to work on raising awareness of why we need this pan-European organisation, she said.

The new Secretary-General said that the Council was going through difficult times marked by xenophobia and discrimination which should be combated.

She said that one of her priorities is to enhance the dialogue between the CoE member-states and bodies of this Strasbourg-based organisation.

She also pledged to work on raising the visibility of the organisation in the times of new technologies.

The Council of Europe was established in 1949 as an international organisation whose aim is to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe. It now has the 47 member-states.

More news about the Council of Europe can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, July 5, 2019 - Croatian minority leaders in Serbia on Friday welcomed the appointment of Croatia's Foreign and European Affairs Minister, Marija Pejčinović Burić, as Secretary-General of the Council of Europe and the message of congratulation by Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić on that occasion, however, they expressed disappointment that the highest Serbian officials did not say anything about this achievement by Croatia's diplomacy.

Dačić said at the 2019 Western Balkans-EU summit on Thursday that Serbia was looking forward to Croatia's chairmanship of the European Union in the first half of 2020 and he congratulated Pejčinović Burić on her appointment as Secretary-General of the CoE, stating that the position "was very important for the region."

"It is odd that in the case of certain events in diplomatic circles that directly impact you, and the Council of Europe certainly does impact Serbia, congratulations and assessments are expressed at international forums abroad and with a week's delay! In that regard, the silence of the highest Serbian government officials about Pejčinović Burić's appointment speaks volumes and can be interpreted as a defeat of their own plans," the president of the Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina (DSHV), Tomislav Žigmanov, said on Friday.

Pejčinović Burić was elected the new Secretary-General of the Council of Europe by secret ballot in Strasbourg last week and will take office in September.

The CoE was founded in 1949, it has 47 member states, covers approximately 830 million people and its stated aim is to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe.

More news about relations between Croatia and Serbia can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, June 28, 2019 - The Council of Europe is faced with huge challenges at a time of reappraisal of all global multilateral forums, Croatia's Foreign and European Affairs Minister Marija Pejčinović Burić said on Thursday, a day after being elected the organisation's secretary general.

"The Council of Europe, like many other multilateral organisations, finds itself in a time when all multilateral forums, their need and way of operation, are being re-examined, so it is faced with huge challenges," said Pejčinović Burić, who will take office in September.

The Council of Europe consists of 47 member states with 830 million residents and fights for human rights, democracy and the rule of law across Europe. Its conventions, such as the European Convention on Human Rights, set global standards in that field. The organisation celebrated its 70th anniversary in May.

"Even though the secretary general is not the only person that participates in that, it is an important position which directs the organisation," she told a joint press conference in Government House with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković at her side.

Pejčinović Burić will be the 14th person to take the helm of the Council of Europe. So far, this position has been held by three French people, three Austrians, and one Italian, Briton, German, Spaniard, Swede and Norwegian.

On Wednesday, the Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg elected Pejčinović Burić Secretary General of the Council of Europe for a five-year term. In the first round of the election the Croatian minister obtained 159 votes, an absolute majority, and the other shortlisted candidate Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders won 105 votes. Pejčinović Burić is the second women to become the secretary-general of this organisation in its 70-year-long history.

Pejčinović Burić explained that her victory meant two things - firstly, this is the first time that a person from Central and Eastern Europe has stepped into this position and secondly, this is only the second time a woman has been elected. The first woman to hold that position was Catherine Lalumiere of France who held that position from 1989 to 1994.

"Only with time will society and the public realise how important an achievement this is," Plenković told the press conference.

Pejčinović Burić underscored that it was significant that she had been elected by almost a two-thirds majority, which meant that the votes came from other parliamentary groups and not just the European People's Party to which she belongs.

Both officials concluded that her election came at a good time considering that Croatia had chaired the organisation last year and made a good impression, and all this happened just before Croatia's presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2020.

"We made the decision (to nominate Pejčinović Burić) after we realised that Croatia had a very good position in the international community," Plenković said and concluded that "there was practically not one element in the minister's achievements until now that would have prevented her candidacy."

Both officials underscored that her leaving the Foreign Ministry would not jeopardise Croatia's preparations for the EU presidency because that process was already well under way and could easily be taken over by someone already involved in the process.

Asked whether the government would be reshuffled after Minister Pejčinović Burić left, Plenković said: "We'll see when the time comes."

The Council of Europe was established in 1949 and today it has 47 countries - all of Europe with the exception of Belarus and Kosovo, as well as Russia, Turkey and the Caucuses. Croatia joined the organisation in 1996.

The Council of Europe created the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, the Venice Commission, an advisory body comprising experts in constitutional law, and the Commissioner for Human Rights.

More news about the Council of Europe can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, June 27, 2019 - At the beginning of his cabinet meeting on Thursday morning, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković again extended his congratulations to Foreign and European Affairs Minister Marija Pejčinović Burić on her election as the 14th secretary general of the Council of Europe.

"This is the biggest international, political and diplomatic success considering the election of any Croatian representative to international institutions," Plenković said.

"I think that we can be proud of the minister's success and of the broad backing she gained. We can be proud of Croatia's international position and reputation in foreign affairs and values we share," the premier said.

On Wednesday, the Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg elected Pejčinović Burić Secretary General of the Council of Europe for a five-year term. In the first round of the election the Croatian minister obtained 159 votes, an absolute majority, and the other shortlisted candidate Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders won 105 votes. Pejčinović Burić is the second women to become the secretary-general of this organisation in its 70-year-long history.

Plenković said that Pejčinović Burić 's success could be perceived also as the victory of east and southeast Europe, as she is the first CoE Secretary General from that part of the continent.

The premier thanked all Croatian ambassadors and parliamentary delegations for their contribution to this success.

He reiterated that Croatia had made a good impression during its six-month chairmanship of this organisation last year.

While coming to the government meeting, several ministers told the press outside Government House that they congratulated Pejčinović Burić on her election to the new post.

Education Minister Blaženka Divjak said that this "is a good message to young people, notably to young girls, considering the fact that she is the second woman to be at the helm of the Council of Europe." "This is also encouragement that the glass ceiling can be broken," said Divjak.

The ministers declined to speculate who can succeed Pejčinović Burić in the post of the country's foreign minister. She assumes her new duties in October.

More news about the Council of Europe and Croatia can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, June 27, 2019 - Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Minister Marija Pejčinović Burić was elected the new Secretary-General of the Council of Europe by secret ballot held in the CoE Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg on Wednesday evening.

Pejčinović Burić will succeed Thornbjorn Jagland, whose second term in this post expires in October. Jagland, a former Norwegian prime minister and foreign minister, became the 13th Secretary General of this international organisation in September 2009 and was re-elected in 2014 for the second term.

Pejčinović Burić and Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, were the two nominees shortlisted for the 14th Secretary-General of the Council of Europe earlier this year. Apart from them, the other two candidates in the first round were former Lithuanian premier and lawmaker, Andrius Kubilius as well as a former Greek foreign minister and parliamentary deputy, Dora Bakoyannis. The Committee of Ministers interviewed the four candidates separately in March, before deciding to shortlist the two candidates.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe consists of 324 deputies from national parliaments of the 47 member-states.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Wednesday morning that Croatia had done a good job regarding the candidacy of its Foreign and European Affairs Minister Pejčinović Burić for the post of Secretary General of the Council of Europe. He said that Croatia had made a good impression during its six-month chairmanship of this organisation last year. "I think we earned the image of a country that can make a contribution."

Pejčinović Burić is the second woman in history at the organisation's helm and the first person from Central and Southeastern Europe to fill this position.

Pejčinović Burić, who became the Croatian foreign minister in June 2017, is a fluent in French, English and Spanish and has passive knowledge of German. The new Secretary General of the CoE, born in 1963, graduated from the Faculty of Economics at Zagreb University in 1985, and attended the College of Europe at Bruges in Belgium and a post-graduate study n Warsaw to earn a master's degree in European Studies.

Croatia joined the Council of Europe in 1996.

The Council of Europe was established in 1949 as an international organisation whose aim is to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe.

The Council of Europe Secretary General-elect, Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Marija Pejčinović Burić, said in Strasbourg on Wednesday that the role of the Council of Europe had never been more important than nowadays and that during her five-year term she would work on the unity as well as on empowering women and sensitive groups in the society.

In her first address upon her election, Pejčinović Burić said that she would advocate dialogue among member-states so as to ensure the accomplishment of the two founding goals of the organisation: peace and prosperity.

In her speech, Pejčinović Burić said that this international organisation was supposed to foster dialogue not only inside its main bodies but also among its member-states.

The Council of Europe was established in 1949 as an international organisation whose aim is to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe. It now has the 47 member-states.

Pejčinović Burić is the second women to become the secretary-general of this organisation in its 70-year-long history. In this context, the new secretary general said that her election showed that the Council of Europe "is for gender equality".

"During my work as the Secretary General, I will pay special attention to all non-discrimination issues, particularly to women and children," she said adding that it is necessary to strengthen the role of women in the present-day society.

She thanked for the cross-party support in the election process as well as to Prime Minister Andrej Plenković for having proposed and supported her candidature.

More news about Marija Pejčinović Burić can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, June 26, 2019 - Croatia has done a good job regarding the candidacy of its Foreign and European Affairs Minister Marija Pejčinović Burić for the post of Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Wednesday.

The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, which consists of 324 representatives of the national parliaments of 47 member states, will elect a new Secretary General to a term of five years by secret ballot on Wednesday evening. They will choose between Pejčinović Burić and Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders to succeed Thorbjorn Jagland, former Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Parliament Speaker of Norway.

"We've done a good job regarding the campaign", Plenković told the public broadcaster HRT on Wednesday morning. "It is very uncertain. I think we did all we could and already now we got an important plus and respect for both the country and our candidate," he added.

He said that Croatia had made a good impression during its six-month chairmanship of this organisation last year. "I think we earned the image of a country that can make a contribution."

The results of the vote are expected around 9pm.

If elected, Pejčinović Burić would be the second woman in history at the organisation's helm and the first person from Central and Southeastern Europe to fill this position, Plenković said.

Croatia joined the Council of Europe in 1996, and the new Secretary General is due to take office on October 15.

More news about Marija Pejčinović Burić can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, June 17, 2019 - Croatia's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Marija Pejčinović Burić on Monday attended a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg which discussed the effectiveness of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, the implementation of the EU Global Strategy and the situation in Sudan, the ministry reported in a press release.

The council discussed models to improve the effectiveness of the Common Foreign and Security Policy in view of changes occurring on the international scene and of geopolitical challenges.

The ministers agreed that in the coming period efforts will be focused on strengthening coherency and consistency, and strengthening unity so that the EU can be a strong global stakeholder. With regard to foreign policy, the Eu and the member states will continue advocating the protection of common values and interests, security and peace, the promotion of international cooperation, democracy and the rule of law, the ministry's press release said.

The discussion on implementing the Global Strategy was held together with the defence ministers. Progress in implementing the Global Strategy was considered in five priority areas: the Union's security, resilience, integrated approach to conflicts and crises, cooperation with regions, and global governance for the 21st century.

The importance of working on strengthening multilateralism and a world order based on rules was underscored as the best way to promote national and common interests. The ministers welcomed the significant progress made in security and defence, and it was agreed to continue working on implementing launched initiatives and strengthening the EU's capacities, its strategic autonomy and cooperation with partners, particularly with NATO and the UN.

The ministers discussed Sudan and expressed concern with the deteriorating situation. The importance of avoiding further escalation of violence was underscored and the ministers underlined their support for a peaceful and orderly transfer of government and for constitutional order to be reinstated.

The EU supports the mediation of the African Union aimed at finding a peaceful solution to end the crisis, and the EU is prepared to offer political and economic support to Sudan when the transition to a civilian government begins.

The council briefly reflected on the situation in Venezuela and the Horn of Africa as well as current events in Moldova. The council meeting included an informal meeting with Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi, who spoke about the situation in Jordan and events in the Middle East, the foreign ministry reported in its press release.

More news about Croatia and the European Union can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, June 14, 2019 - Croatian Foreign Minister Marija Pejčinović Burić visited Italy on Thursday and met with her counterpart Enzo Moavero Milanesi, the ministry said in a press release, adding that the two officials confirmed the good relations between the two countries and underlined the desire to further strengthen bilateral relations.

The ministers exchanged opinions on numerous regional, European and global issues of common interest such as the results of the European Parliament elections, the EU's new institutional framework, enlargement, the multiannual financial framework, Brexit, the protection of the EU's external borders, and the crisis of multilateralism.

The two ministers underlined the importance of the cooperation between the two countries within the Central European Initiative, whose chairmanship Italy took over from Croatia at the start of the year.

They also discussed Croatia's chairmanship of the Council of the EU next year, extending support for the European journey of Southeast European countries. It was said that Croatia will organise a summit on that topic in Zagreb.

Minister Pejčinović Burić also met with the Italian delegation to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly.

Earlier in the day, Minister Pejčinović Burić was on an official visit to Malta, where she met with her counterpart Carmelo Abela on Thursday to talk about global and regional topics and of improving the already good bilateral relations, her ministry said in a press release.

Pejčinović Burić and Maltese Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion Minister Abela underscored the very good relations between the two countries, with the desire to intensify them, particularly in trade, culture, tourism and protection of the sea, according to the press release.

The two foreign ministers exchanged opinions on current global and regional topics, and topics related to the European Union, on a comprehensive approach to migrations, security issues, the Mediterranean and Southeast Europe.

They pointed out the need to intensify dialogue and the exchange of good practice and stances as part of Croatia's preparations for its chairmanship of the European Union in the first half of 2020.

One of the priorities of Croatia's chairmanship will be the European journey of Southeast Europe, which Malta too considers important, and in that regard, Croatia will organise a summit of the EU and Southeast Europe dedicated to that topic, the press release said.

During her visit Pejčinović Burić met with members of Malta's delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Pejčinović Burić is a candidate for that organisation's secretary-general, along with Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister Didier Reynders.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will decide on the next secretary-general by secret ballot in Strasbourg on June 25, who will then step into office on October 1.

More foreign policy news can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, May 29, 2019 - Europe has a lot to learn from China, Spanish Foreign Minister Joseph Borrell said in Zagreb on Wednesday after the talks with his Croatian counterpart Marija Pejčinović Burić which also revolved around the construction of Pelješac Bridge.

"I want to emphasise the importance Spain dedicates to relations with Croatia and the wish for them to grow," said Borrell, who is a member of the Socialist government in Spain and although born in Catalonia he is one of the most ardent opponents to that province's independence.

Whether it is coincidental, but Borrell's visit comes after a recent visit by Catalonia's Foreign Minister Alfred Bosch. The Catalan government has a representation office in Zagreb that covers Southeast Europe.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting with his host Pejčinović Burić, Borrell said that they had discussed bilateral topics like strengthening economic cooperation, the future of the European Union in the context of Brexit and the new multi-annual financial perspective as well as Croatia's priorities during its chairmanship of the Union at the beginning of next year, such as enlargement to Southeast Europe.

Borrell said that Croatia has Spain's support to join the OECD, Schengen Area and eurozone and concluded that Zagreb and Madrid need to work on strengthening the mutual interests of citizens in both countries.

Borrell underscored that the talks also focused on relations that the EU and Croatia have with China and the Pelješac bridge that is being constructed near Dubrovnik.

China is a big player and is more and more present in Europe. We have a lot to learn from that country and we are interested in its economic and political activity in east Europe, he said and added that this visit was a good opportunity to become familiar with numerous economic and political activities between Beijing and Europe.

Pejčinović Burić underlined that Croatia and Spain nurture "traditionally good and friendly relations," with cultural and historical affiliation with the same "Euro-Mediterranean circle of countries" and membership of the EU and NATO alliance.

"We nurture common values and mutually support each other on many European and global issues," she concluded.

Trade between Croatia and Spain is on the rise. Two years ago, it amounted to 673 million euro and last year grew to 741 million euro. The number of Spanish tourists visiting Croatia is also growing. Last year, 290,000 Spaniards visited Croatia and Pejčinović Burić said that that was thanks to "good air connectivity," between the two countries.

This is the first visit by a Spanish minister to Croatia in the past 14 years. Borrell is expected to meet with President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković.

More news on relations between Croatia and Spain can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, May 11, 2019 - Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Marija Pejčinović Burić said on Friday that Croatia's chairmanship of the Council of the European Union would be a great opportunity to present and promote Croatia.

"Any large gathering, not just a political one, when someone comes to our country, is an opportunity to present ourselves," Minister Pejčinović Burić said at a round table discussion on the challenges of Croatia's chairing the European Union in 2020 for international positioning.

"In just over six months, we will have the opportunity, literally every day, sometimes in Zagreb, sometimes in Brussels, to communicate with a lot of people in different formats," she said at the round table, organised as part of a conference on the branding of Croatia.

She said that the activities of the Council of the EU are pretty much set and that the two large topics during Croatia's chairmanship will be Brexit and adopting the next seven-year multiannual financial framework, i.e. the European budget.

The issue of migration and security will also be very important, i.e. reforming the Dublin Agreement and the Schengen Zone, she said and added that Croatia will try to turn the focus during the remainder of that programme toward education, tourism, health and demographic revival.

She added that most of these activities will continue to be conducted in Brussels, but Zagreb will host about thirty events of the greatest importance, including EU ministerial meetings.

Croatia will also organise about 1,400 other events, one being a conference of civil society organisations with about 1,200 participants that will be held in Šibenik.

Events at the highest level, she said, will on the most part be held in Zagreb, because meetings at the highest level, if held anywhere but Zagreb, would cost twice as much, she claimed.

She recalled that Croatia plans to spend about 60 to 70 million euro during its chairmanship, while other member states spent between 50 and 130 million.

More news about Croatia and the European Union can be found in the Politics section.