ZAGREB, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Southeast Europe is one of the priorities of Croatia's presidency of the Council of European Union (EU) in the first half of 2020, Croatian officials were quoted by national news agency Hina as saying on Tuesday in Osijek.

The foreign minister and defense minister noted that Croatia will help its neighboring countries on their path towards the EU because security and stability of the region are important not only to Croatia but also to the whole of Europe.

"Of course, we will support our neighbors along the way, but they have to respect criteria such as the rule of law, diminishing political influence on the judiciary and fighting corruption," Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlic Radman said while presenting Croatia's priorities of the upcoming EU presidency.

He said that Croatia will particularly emphasize strengthening of the EU's role in its immediate neighborhood.

Defense Minister Damir Krsticevic said that the intention is to bring back this region in the focus of the EU, and highlight the new forms of threats that are facing the countries of Southeast Europe and support them.

Croatia is also ready to work on further integration between the EU and Latin America, as many Croats who left the country live in these countries. Krsticevic said that Croatia will also work on strengthening the defense industry's competitiveness.

Croatia joined the EU in 2013. Its presidency of the Council of EU starts on Jan. 1, 2020. Enditem

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