Your Excellency, President Zoran Milanović
Madame Sanja Milanović
Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
Let me begin by extending my profound thanks to you, President Milanović, for the invitation to visit your beautiful country.
The extent of generosity and courtesy my delegation and I have been afforded is highly appreciated.
As you know, Excellency, today we had the opportunity to discuss at length a number of issues that affect our countries and citizens.
I am very encouraged by the pattern of bilateral relations, which over the past few years has gone from strength to strength.
Following our talks, I am now all the more hopeful that we will be maximizing on those avenues of cooperation that present us with mutual benefits in the trade and commercial fields, but also at a people-to-people level.
Equally heartening is the common approach our two countries share on a range of regional and international matters.
You and I, Excellency, both represent two hard working, ambitious and proud countries.
Our histories may have developed on separate paths along the decades – but we are united in their quest for peace and stability, in our immediate neighborhoods – the Mediterranean and the Western Balkans – as well as globally.
For we do not only share a turbulent Euro-Mediterranean back yard – we share values and visions.
It is on these shared principles that we should keep strengthening our cooperation in the interest of the international community.
We might not be regional superpowers, military giants or large economies but our voice counts as much as that of others far bigger and prominent than us.
At a time when populism, nationalistic values and exclusion seem to take the upper-hand, Malta and Croatia should remain vocal in their calls for inclusion, diversity and dialogue.
This should be our legacy – as young independent countries, active members of the European Union and above all as honest and trusted international actors.
I am confident that through the partnership and friendship we have today continued to reinforce, we will be giving a unique example for others to follow.
To conclude, I wish to once again thank you, Excellency, for his gracious invitation and for this most successful visit.
I look forward to reciprocating your generosity and hospitality during your State Visit to Malta, in the coming months.
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I now ask all of you to raise your glasses and toast to the good health of President Zoran Milanović and to the enduring friendship between the People of Croatia and the People of Malta.