We will ask political protagonists not to use EU-related issues in the election campaign, the head of the desk for Croatia at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Enlargement, David Daly, said in Brussels on Tuesday.
Daly was speaking at a meeting in the European Parliament devoted to preparations for a session of the EU-Croatia Parliamentary Committee, due to take place in Brussels on October 3 and 4.
The meeting was attended by the Croatian Ambassador to the European Union, Branko Baricevic, who informed members of the European Parliament about the latest developments in the accession process.
Daly and Baricevic said they were pleased with the progress of screening, the evaluation of adjustment of Croatia's legislation to that of the EU, which precedes specific talks on each policy chapter of the European acquis communautaire.
An explanatory stage of screening for all chapters is due to be wrapped up this week.
Daly said that the European Commission had sent a total of 14 screening reports to the EU Council, seven of which had passed through the necessary procedure, while the rest were still being discussed.
Daly said that in its annual progress report, which was expected on October 24, the Commission would highlight the good things Croatia had done in the past years and draw attention to the shortcomings that would have to be addressed.
Daly said that progress would have to be made in the judiciary with a view to reducing the existing backlog of cases.
Speaking of the fight against corruption, Daly said that some isolated cases were under investigation, but that they were "just a tip of the iceberg" and that many other cases remained uninvestigated.