Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic (R) meets with visiting Bulgarian President Rumen Radev in Zagreb, Croatia, on July 23, 2019. Croatia and Bulgaria share the same goal to enter the Schengen area as soon as possible, Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said here Tuesday. (Xinhua/Davorin Visnjic)

ZAGREB, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Croatia and Bulgaria share the same goal to enter the Schengen area as soon as possible, Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said here Tuesday.

She made the remarks after meeting with her Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Radev, who is on a two-day official visit to Croatia.

The Schengen area comprises 26 European countries. Croatia and Bulgaria are legally obliged to join the area in the future.

The two leaders also discussed the priorities of a Croatian Presidency of the European Union (EU), which begins on Jan. 1, 2020, and showed support for the further enlargement of the bloc.

For their partnerships, Radev said cooperation between the two countries is a guarantee for peace and stability in the Balkans.

"The growth of the commodity trade and the greater arrival of tourists in both countries have been noted in recent years, but there are opportunities for further development of economic relations," Radev said.