Croatian Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovic, opened on Saturday the 13th Dubrovnik Forum calling for cooperation and continuation of the European integration process as a way of making Europe more resilient to the challenges it is faced with, such as migrations, the rise of populism and threats to the EU's fundamental values.

The traditional international conference, held this year under the title “Strengthening Resilience – the Mediterranean, Europe and the Western Balkans”, started on Friday with a dinner hosted by PM Plenkovic, who also held his first two bilateral meetings, with his Kosovo counterpart, Ramush Haradinaj, and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Vice-President, Pierre Heilbronn.

The 2015 migration wave has had the biggest impact on the European political landscape, Plenkovic said in his address on Saturday.

The rise of populist movements and parties is visible virtually everywhere, from the founding countries to the smaller ones, and the consequences of that are being felt and will be a key topic in the year of European elections (2019), said Plenkovic.

Croatia has its role in dealing with those challenges, it did not decide to put up physical barriers on its borders but has significantly boosted the capabilities of its border police, with more than 6,500 officers working day and night to prevent illegal migrations and ensure compliance with European and Croatian regulations, said Plenkovic.

The key EU principle of solidarity must be nurtured, he said, underlining that Croatia continued to be committed to that principle, which, he said, was appreciated both in the region and by partners in the EU.

Plenkovic underlined the importance of maintaining the balance between respect for the principle of solidarity and care for national interests and respect for international law and European national laws.

The central topic of this year's forum is resilience, which is necessary when freedom of movement of people is concerned, but also in the context of changing global relations, where some countries are giving up on multilateralism, said the PM.

The EU has also demonstrated resilience to economic and financial problems of the past years, he said, adding that it was important not to undermine the basic principles of the multilateral order and free trade.

Plenkovic commended the European Commission (EC) for giving a strong impetus to enlargement this year, by encouraging EU aspirants to continue with their reforms.

Croatia strongly supports further enlargement as one of the main challenges in this part of Europe, he said, adding that next year Croatia would host a summit meeting between China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries.

Plenkovic also welcomed efforts made by the EU's chief negotiator for Brexit, Michel Barnier, with whom he was expected to hold talks later in the day.

This year's forum in Dubrovnik focuses on challenges caused by migrations, terrorism, climate change and various asymmetric threats facing Europe and the wider Mediterranean area on the political, security, economic, social and cultural fronts.

The forum will also include three panel discussions: Defining Challenges – Considering solutions; Increasing Crisis Resilience through Improved Interconnectivity; and Increasing Crisis Resilience by Countering Fake News and Media Manipulation.