(ANSA) - ZAGREB - Croatia's CEI presidency considers the enlargement of the European Union to the Balkan countries a top priority, said the head of Croatian diplomacy, Marija Pejcinovc Buric, speaking at a meeting of the CEI foreign ministers in Split on Monday. ''The EU enlargement process must be considered as a strategic investment in peace, democracy, security and stability of Europe, and the Balkan countries should consider it as an investment in their progress'', Croatian minister underlined at the opening of the talks involving eighteen member countries of the CEI, founded 29 years ago. Italy's Enzo Moavero Milanesi was on his first mission abroad in his capacity as foreign affairs and international cooperation minister. Eight out of the 18 CEI countries are not yet part of the EU, some of them are aspiring members, such as Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia, whereas others have the candidate status, such as Serbia and Montenegro, that are already engaged in the accession negotiations. Pejcinovic Buric underlined that Croatia is the newest member of the EU, and therefore its experience is an important and useful resource for the other countries that are still on their path to join the EU. (ANSA).