Stressing that the current international successes of Croatia are the fruits of the Croatian Homeland War and efforts from 1991, Sanader said that the world recognised Croatia as a country that could take care about itself and could defend itself which was why it gained international reputation.
He recalled that Zagreb was expecting an invitation for NATO membership at the next summit of the alliance to take place in the Romanian capital of Bucharest.
Commenting on the opinions of some who believe that Croatia should remain neutral as Switzerland, Sanader said that they had the right to have such a stand, but, he stressed, Switzerland was an exception confirming the rule that in Europe that past was marked by wars, blood and acts of genocide.
NATO is not only a military and security organisation but also an alliance of members that share the same values such as the rule of law, democracy, minority and human rights and they are prepared to defend those values, he said.
Reiterating his argument that Croatia would not have been exposed to attacks in 1991, had it been a NATO member, Sanader said that for instance, the idea about Serbia's expansion was defeated but the party advocating the idea of a Greater Serbia individually won the largest number of votes in Serbia (at the last parliamentary elections). Sanader referred to the Serb Radical Party.
When it comes to Croatia's bid to join NATO and the EU there are many questions raised in the public and the public has the right to ask such questions, but we are here to give answers, the Croatian premier said.
In this context, he mentioned the example of Slovakia. He said that good economic results of that central European country proved that EU and NATO membership were good for a country's economy.