By Mark Thomas
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković is visiting the United States on May 7 and 8. Upon arrival, he participated in the inauguration of the new session of the Congressional Croatian-American Friendship Caucus, stating that the caucus will promote cooperation in foreign policy, energy, trade, and transatlantic relations.
Speaking in Washington, Plenković said this was an excellent opportunity to highlight the relationship between the United States and Croatia as partners and allies—especially within the NATO alliance—as well as to emphasize bilateral relations and growing economic exchange.
“During the first term of my government, from 2016 to 2020, we decided to build a liquefied natural gas terminal on the island of Krk. That decision has proven to be politically farsighted in light of the energy crisis following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, ensuring gas supply diversification for Croatia and positioning us as a regional hub for gas arriving from the United States. This has certainly transformed the scale of our energy cooperation, which is very important,” said Plenković.
He also emphasized that Croatia is a country undergoing positive development, highlighting that it has been a NATO member for 16 years and a member of the European Union for 12 years. He pointed out that bilateral relations with the U.S. have been strengthened by the lifting of visa requirements and Croatia’s inclusion in the Global Entry program.
Plenković expressed hope that the Croatian-American Friendship Caucus would further contribute to the dynamic development of relations between the two countries. “In short, we look forward to greater investment from the United States in our country,” he added.
“I would like to thank our ambassador and the entire team here for their daily efforts to improve relations between Croatia and the United States,” he concluded.
California Democratic Congresswoman Nanette Barragán congratulated Plenković on his contribution to Croatia’s economic growth and the strengthening of international ties with the European Union. She said the caucus plays a vital role in deepening U.S.-Croatia relations.
“Since the last session of Congress, we sent a letter to the Senate urging ratification of the double taxation avoidance agreements between the U.S. and Croatia, something we’ve already discussed. We will continue to advocate for this treaty’s ratification in the current Congress and work to resolve the issues blocking it,” said Barragán.
Republican Congressman Dave Joyce from Ohio said that Americans of Croatian descent continue to contribute across the U.S. “This is especially true in northeast Ohio, home to over 15,000 Croatian Americans—the fourth-largest concentration in the country.
The work of the Croatian Caucus will ensure that the U.S. and Croatia maintain strong bilateral relations. Since gaining independence, Croatia has been our ally, and we share a commitment to democratic values and the rule of law. Under President Trump, we will continue to strengthen these ties and further enhance our economic and cultural cooperation,” he stated.
Joining the Prime Minister on the Washington visit are Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman and Minister of Economy Ante Šušnjar.