"Much more important is what was heard at the Council of the EU and the session of the European People's Party, which was also attended by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso," Sanader said, recalling that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other important prime ministers had agreed that Croatia would be the next, 28th member of the European Union.
"We can expect that if we wrap up the negotiations by the end of 2008 or in 2009. That year is promising although we should not set ourselves deadlines," Sanader said in the southern seaport of Split.
"I am especially pleased that everyone supported that idea, that nobody is bringing Croatia into question again, that our negotiations have been separated from Turkey's and that Croatia is no longer part of the Western Balkan package."
Sanader said that one statement or its interpretation "should not overshadow the big and important successes that encourage us even more" on the road to the EU.
He was asked by the press if his arrival in Split was in response to last weekend's statements by Social Democratic (SDP) leader Ivica Racan, who told a party conference in the seaport that Sanader's Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) could no longer win elections in their city. Sanader said he had come to Split as the prime minister of all Croatian citizens and all parties.
"I am also the prime minister of the SDP, this is how Croatian voters decided," he said. He added that he was against campaigning for elections in a non-election year, but that he could not resist saying that everyone knew the capacity of the Central cinema, where the SDP had held its conference.
"If I didn't come to Split from now until the end of elections, I would still win, so imagine if I will be coming! That's why I see that the SDP is afraid."
Asked about allegations of drug smuggling at the Croatian Consulate in Los Angeles, Sanader said he wanted to preserve the Foreign Ministry's stability because of the importance of its role in international endeavours and that he would therefore insist on shedding light on this case.
"After I receive the Ministry's report, we will do everything appropriate that needs to be done," he said, adding that he was not certain that yesterday's dismissal of the Ministry's spokeswoman was connected with this case.