Discussing a declaration on the fundamental principles of Croatia's EU entry, the clubs of deputies endorsed the consensus among the parliamentary parties as to the strategic national goal -- Croatia's admission to the EU.
Neven Mimica of the Social Democrats said Euro-integration was the last area in which the opposition would want the Government to fail.
The clubs of deputies fully supported the establishment of a national committee to monitor the EU entry negotiations, saying it would make sure that Parliament was equally represented in the negotiations.
The deputies were also agreed that citizens should be openly informed of the course of the negotiations so that they could be assured that there was no alternative to EU entry.
Zlatko Tomcic of the Peasant Party said citizens would make the final decision about joining the Union at a referendum, and that it was up to politicians to restore citizens' trust in the EU.
Ivan Cehok of the Social Liberals concurred. He and Anto Djapic of the Party of Rights said the popularity of the EU among citizens was waning. They added the support had dropped from 70 percent a year ago to 50 percent today.
The deputies were agreed that the negotiating team must comprise "the best of the best". They said that the negotiations, notably the structural adjustment to EU standards, would be neither easy nor pleasant.
Gordan Jandrokovic of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union said EU membership was a national project which called for a serious and responsible approach.
Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) said that no document would make anyone do something to facilitate Croatia's road to the EU. "Croatia must undergo reindustrialisation," he said.
Commenting on Croatia's cooperation with the Hague war crimes tribunal, Djapic called for a discussion on what full cooperation meant.