Andrej Plenkovic

Brnabic pointed out that the relations between Serbia and Croatia are important for the stability of the region, and that, consequently, it is necessary to improve the dialogue and intensify cooperation in resolving open issues.

The former manager of the Croatian national football team, Miroslav Ciro Blazevic, has surprised and shocked many in Croatia by appearing in a video made for the European elections by the Independent Democratic Serbian Party, SDSS, a party representing Croatia's Serbian minority.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the top candidate of the centrist European People's Party, EPP, for the post of European Commission President, Manfred Weber, will participate in the central election conference of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, on Saturday in Zagreb.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic told the ceremony at the Ministry of Defence building in Zagreb on Sunday that the MiG-21 fighter plane was one of the main symbols of Croatia's 1991-95 'Homeland War'.

Plenkovic said that its return after 28 years of quiet diplomacy and government efforts was a mark of honour for all Croatian veterans and their families.

Plenkovic has developed a strategy of silence on many of the scandals that have embroiled his own ministers and party colleagues, to good effect, Mamic said.

"If you look at his position, this is effective and efficient communication," she said. "He gives short answers, because obviously the outcome of all these cases could go in any direction."

Croatia's president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic visited the sites of massacres of thousands of Croatian civilians and soldiers of the defeated pro-Nazi Independent State of Croatia (NDH) on Wednesday, laying flowers and lighting candles at Macelj, Bleiburg and Huda Jama.

The Executive Bureau of the National Liberal Party (BEx PNL) convened in Sibiu on Wednesday. Also attending were Romania's President Klaus Iohannis, President of the European People's Party (EPP) Joseph Daul, and Secretary General of the EPP Antonio Lopez-Isturiz White.

Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik (R) with Pope Francis (L) during their meeting at the Vatican on April 26. Photo: EPA-EFE/Vincenzo Pinto/POOL

Orthodox pilgrims hold candles during the Orthodox Christian Easter service on April 27 at the Kalista Monastery in Struga, 180km south-west of Skopje in North Macedonia. Photo: EPA-EFE/Georgi Licovski

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is to visit China later this week, his third visit as premier in as as many years to attend a summit on China's Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on April 27.

Amid tightening relations between Greece and China, Tsipras is also expected to meet with top government officials and explore prospects for economic cooperation.

Chinese PM Li Keqiang with Croatian PM Andrej Plenkovic during the 16+1 Initiative Summit. Photo: EPA-EFE/STR

Darko Horvat, the Croatian Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts Minister, said on Thursday that a delegation from "the world's largest shipbuilding industry" will visit the Uljanik and Treci Maj shipyards in Pula and Rijeka.