"I am certain that by the end of 2008 we shall find some solution to the EU's institutional issues. We in Croatia are interested too. We cannot pretend it doesn't concern us, but it is up to us to finish our homework, finish the negotiations and implement European standards," Sanader said upon arriving at a summit of European People's Party (EPP) leaders in Meise near Brussels.
"I am certain that regardless of the settlement of the institutional issue, Europe will eventually say 'yes' to Croatia."
Sanader said he was optimistic that the EU summit scheduled to start in Brussels tonight would find a solution about a new contract that would replace the failed constitution.
"I am an optimist, knowing Chancellor Angela Merkel, her energy and perseverance, Parliament President (Hans-Gert) Poettering and the other leaders."
Sanader said he was pleased with yesterday's decision by COREPER, the committee comprised of EU ambassadors, to open six more chapters in Croatia's accession negotiations at an Intergovernmental Conference next week. "That's good news and I want to believe that we will open one or two more chapters in July."
Sanader went on to say that he would discuss with Slovene PM Janez Jansa, also attending the Meise summit, allegations that their phone conversations in 2004, when Jansa was the opposition leader, were taped.
"Now it is definitely clear that Jansa was wiretapped as the opposition leader, which is not democratic practice, and that those who communicated with him were wiretapped too," he said, adding that Croatia would know how to respond if it transpired that Slovenia's 2004 government deliberately wiretapped foreign nationals and a foreign premier.
"That would have been a violation of an important international convention and Croatia would certainly give a firm and right answer."