Nasser Bourita's European tour has sparked a significant wave of support for Morocco's autonomy plan for the Sahara. Following France, Estonia, and Moldova, Croatia is the latest country to back the Kingdom's position. The Moroccan autonomy initiative for the Sahara continues to gain traction across Europe. After Moldova recently voiced support for the Kingdom's 2007 proposal to resolve the regional dispute, Croatia has now followed suit. On Wednesday, the Croatian government described the Moroccan plan as a «solid basis» for resolving the issue. This alignment marks a diplomatic win for Rabat, particularly given Zagreb's previously cautious stance. Remarks made by former Croatian Foreign Minister Marija Pejčinović Burić during her visit to Rabat on February 8, 2019, reflect that hesitation. After meeting with Nasser Bourita, she stated that Croatia supported all «serious» and «credible» efforts by Morocco to reach a political solution, while noting that her country «aligns with the European Union's position» on the matter. Europe, country by country... Since then, the international context has shifted in Morocco's favor. The United States' recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara on December 10, 2020, prompted other EU countries to «step out of their comfort zone», as Nasser Bourita put it in February 2021. Several European nations have since revised their positions and expressed clear support for the autonomy initiative, including Germany, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Luxembourg, Denmark, Romania, Malta, Finland, and Portugal. Central European countries have also joined this growing trend. Members of the Visegrád Group—Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, all NATO and EU members—have endorsed the Moroccan plan as well. Support has also come from outside the EU. In June 2023, Serbia expressed its backing for Morocco's territorial integrity, shortly after a visit from Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf to Belgrade. Albania, another non-EU European country, officially announced its support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative on March 1. According to information gathered by Yabiladi, this momentum is likely to continue across the Balkans. These endorsements are strengthening Morocco's position in its relations with European states—both EU and non-EU—and helping it distance itself from the uncertainties of European judicial rulings.
