Croatian PM Plenković tells Michel he wants MFF negotiations concluded during the country's Presidency

Negotiations on the bloc’s long-term budget should be concluded within 2020’s first half, said Andrej Plenković, the Prime Minister of Croatia during a meeting with Charles Michel, EU Council’s President.
Croatia took over the EU Council Presidency on 1 January, succeeding Finland, which proposed major cuts to the bloc’s Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027.
Talks were held ahead of an emergency summit Michel convened for February 20, during which, the EU-27 will need to resolve the bloc’s stalemate and also deal with UK’s departure from the EU – a major loss in the budget contribution.
“We must do everything to get as much as possible now that a big member state, a net contributor, Great Britain, has left the Union,” Plenković said.
The Croatian PM stressed that it is pivotal for Croatia to be given the necessary cohesion funds, which as he said, are the major driving force behind development and investment.
The enlargement process, negotiations on future relations with the UK, the Conference on the Future of Europe, and the European Green Deal were also on the table during the two officials’ meeting.