Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic travels to Berlin on Thursday to attend a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations (OA), the oldest German regional business initiative.
Attending will be about 250 guests, among them several heads of state or government, including Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The Committee was established in 1952 to represent German business interests in Eastern Europe, covering over 20 countries. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Committee promotes reforms in the transition countries and their integration into European structures.
Prime Minister Milanovic's visit comes at a time of growing opposition in Germany to the further enlargement of the European Union. Last week several senior German officials questioned Croatia's readiness for EU membership, scheduled for July 1 next year.
