Briefly addressing reporters after he received a Croatian parliamentary delegation led by Sabor Speaker Vladimir Seks, Juncker said that he had conveyed the same message a day before when he held talked with Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader. During yesterday's talks Juncker also voiced optimism that Zagreb would start entry talks with the EU in March, as announced, although European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn also yesterday cautioned that the case of the runaway general Gotovina, who is wanted by the UN tribunal, could cause some delays in the start of the membership talks.
I have insisted that General Ante Gotovina must be arrested and handed over to The Hague before the date set for the start of the membership talks (17 March), Juncker said today. The European bloc's chairman also expressed firm belief that the Sabor and the Ivo Sanader cabinet were committed to the full cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal.
However, this must be proved in the way that everybody can understand that Croatia is cooperating with the tribunal, Juncker said. Gen. Gotovina has to realise that he is shaping the destiny of his country which has the right to become a full EU member, Juncker added.
Sabor Speaker Seks told reporters that the Sabor was fully supporting the Croatian Prime Minister and Government in their activities aimed at the fulfillment of obligations towards the Hague tribunal.
Commenting on the Gotovina case, Seks, who was at the helm of the parliamentary delegation that arrived in Luxembourg on Monday, stressed that the Sabor would like to see the removal of the "remaining stumbling block" in line with the Constitution and national laws on cooperation with the tribunal.