POLITICS
(Brussels) The training of about 880 civil servants who will be working for the EU’s six-month presidency that Finland will hand over to Croatia on 1 January 2020 is coming to an end in Zagreb today. The social profiles (Facebook and Twitter), the logo, the motto (“A strong Europe in a world of challenges”) are ready, but the website has not yet been launched. Four priorities have already been set for the next six months: indeed, the Croatian Presidency intends to work for a “balanced and sustainable development” of the EU and Member States; a “Europe that connects”, with a particular focus on the “networked economy”; the third pillar is a Europe that protects (i.e. “safer union and its citizens”); and finally, a Europe that is “influential”, that is to say, “a leading global actor” and a strong partner to its neighbouring countries. The six-month presidency will begin, as is customary, with the Commission’s visit to Zagreb on 9-10 January. The Croatian presidency will go down in history because, if anything, Brexit is very likely to happen in the coming months. Another important item on the Croatian presidency’s agenda is the Western Balkans Summit on 6-7 May. On that occasion, Croatia could play an important role in the EU’s accession negotiations with its neighbouring countries, especially Albania and North Macedonia, provided that no country uses its veto power at the European Council on 26-27 March.
