Speaking in an interview with the N1 broadcaster earlier in the day, Klisovic said that Croatia's EU presidency would be forgotten. "There will be nothing to remember it by," Klisovic said.
He also criticised the EU-Western Balkans summit, organised by Zagreb in early May, and the declaration adopted at that online event, which he considers "much weaker" than the document adopted at a similar conference in Thessaloniki in 2003.
"(The document) does not mention enlargement, just an old, watered-down phrase about European prospects," said Klisovic.
Grlic Radman said Klisovic's criticism was unfounded and aimed at deluding the public.
"I know how much effort we have invested and how visible in the EU we are. Mr Klisovic's words are not falling on fertile ground," he said.
Croatia has managed to ensure "the continuity of all processes in the EU despite the coronavirus pandemic, North Macedonia and Albania have been given the green light to start accession talks and the Zagreb declaration on the Western Balkans is more extensive than the one from Thessaloniki," said Grlic Radman.
As for Klisovic's earlier remark that the two Balkan countries had not been given a date for the start of their EU entry talks, the minister said that under a decision by the European Council of 2006 a date was given "once benchmarks and criteria have been met."
Croatia joined the EU in 2013 during the term of an SDP-led government, at a time when, Grlic Radman said, it was at loggerheads with many countries.
"(German Chancellor) Angela Merkel did not come for the accession celebration," said Grlic Radman.
The minister on Monday chaired an informal online meeting of the ministers of the European Economic Area, which, along with EU member states, also includes Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
The ministers agreed that it was necessary to ensure the functioning of the internal market and that the European Green Deal should not be neglected.
"Despite the health crisis, we believe that the European Green Deal needs to stay the basis of the necessary economic transformation towards sustainable development and climate neutrality," said Grlic Radman.