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Zagreb - Croatia and Romania's political journeys have many similarities - from transition from Communism to democracy to Euro-Atlantic integration - and today the two countries cooperate closely and have similar views as to where they belong, Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Tuesday.
Jandroković, who is visiting Romania, said this in an address to the House of Representatives of the Romanian Parliament.
The transition from Communism to democracy was very demanding and required multifold adjustment - mental, social, political and economic, Jandroković told Romanian MPs after meeting with House of Representatives Speaker Ion-Marcel Ciolacu.
"We were willing to invest additional effort to achieve our common goals of NATO and EU membership," he added, recalling that at the 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest Croatia received the invitation to join NATO.
Today the two countries share the goal of joining the Schengen area of passport-free movement and the OECD, and Jandroković said that he hoped Romania, too, would be admitted to the Schengen area in early 2023.
"I can say with certainty that we have built a sincere, strong and, I believe, long-lasting friendship," he said.
"Our two countries evidently have similar notions of where they belong. They also have similar views of where our neighbours belong," Jandroković said, stressing that Croatia and Romania want Western Balkan countries, Ukraine and Moldova to join the EU.
After talks with Senate Deputy Speaker and Acting Speaker Alina-Stefania Gorghiu, Jandroković told reporters that Croatia and Romania were friendly countries without outstanding issues in their relations. There is room for the improvement of their economic ties, notably in the energy, military and tourism sectors, he said, noting that more than 100,000 Romanians visited Croatia this past summer.
Russian aggressor and Slobodan Milošević
In his address Jandroković recalled that Croatia had to wage a war for its independence, which was why it was particularly sensitive to the suffering of the Ukrainian people.
"The patterns of behaviour of the aggressor remind Croats of the same cruel patterns used by Slobodan Milošević 30 years ago - from information manipulation to military aggression, from refugee crisis to war crimes," he said.
He welcomed Romania's "multidimensional support" to Ukraine, from adjustment of the railway network to humanitarian aid and reception of Ukrainian refugees.
"We know what it means to have friends in difficult times. With the help of friends like Croatia and Romania, Ukraine will definitely win this war," Jandroković concluded.
Croat minority
Jandroković recalled that Croats had been living in Romania since the 14th century and that that community was "one of the oldest Croat minority communities in the world."
"They are true pioneers of intercultural contacts and the most precious link between our countries," he said, adding that he was glad that Slobodan Ghera, president of the Union of Croats party, was a member of the House of Representatives and representative of the ethnic Croat community.
After talks with Acting Senate Speaker Ghorgiu, Jandroković told reporters Croatia was very grateful to Romania for its treatment of the Croat community.
Jandroković will visit on Wednesday ethnic Croats living in Carasova (Karaševo), Clocotici (Klokotić) and Lupac (Lupak) in the Romanian part of the region of Banat.
Later on Tuesday, he will meet with Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă.