President Milanović in New York for UN General Assembly

President Zoran Milanović arrived in New York on Sunday ahead of the 76th UN General Assembly.

The President met with representatives of the Croatian community in New York on Sunday. Later in the day he was due to meet with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. On Tuesday, Milanović is set to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Croatia’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Radman is also taking part in the UN General Assembly.

“It is a major achievement in the fight against COVID-19 that this event is being held in person,” Grlić Radman said.

He is also planning to visit the Croatian communities in Pittsburgh and Chicago. The Croatian Government initiated changes to Croatian law regulating citizenship which would make it easier for members of the diaspora to obtain citizenship status, Grlić Radman said, adding that Croatia also expected the US to lift the visa requirement for Croatian citizens travelling to the United States. The two countries are also expected to draft an agreement on double-taxation avoidance.

The issues that are expected to dominate the UN General Assembly are not ones that he is focusing on, Milanović said, adding that he will be concentrating on issues more relevant to Croatia’s region, among the Bosnia and Herzegovina and the position of Croats in that country.

Former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović is also in New York. She is said to have received backing from Milanović to attend the events around the annual UN meeting.