JAKARTA (ANTARA) – Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) Lodewijk F. Paulus expressed hope that Croatia will become the entry point for Indonesia’s crude palm oil (CPO) exports to the European Union (EU).
„We still have problems with our CPO to enter the EU. Croatia, with its modern ports, is expected to be our gateway,” Paulus said after receiving a courtesy visit from the Croatian parliamentary committee on Monday.
He hopes that Croatia, through its ports, will become Indonesia’s gateway to export its CPO products to Central and Eastern Europe.
Indonesia and Croatia established diplomatic relations in 1992.
Although it is a small country in Europe, Croatia has three modern ports, making it a strategic partner in the Balkan region, Paulus said.
„There is no reason for the European Union to ban us because we have a clean energy accreditation. Of course, bilateral relations should be profitable. Let’s see what (goods) we can export there,” he explained.
Cooperation in the fields of defense and security was discussed at the meeting, particularly regarding Croatia’s interest in exploring more intensive cooperation with Indonesia.
Paulus said he and the Croatian delegation also discussed potential disruptions due to Russia-Ukraine geopolitical tensions.
According to him, geopolitical conflicts must be resolved because they can affect all sectors, including the economic sector, by raising prices and the cost of living.
„We are already feeling the impact because we are importing wheat from Russia and Ukraine. One thing that makes us happy is that we are on the same page in how we care about peace,” he said.
He also said that Indonesia is ready to be an arbitrator in resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
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