Italian newspapers Il Piccolo, Corriere Veneto and Messaggero Veneto and Ansa news agency quoted Galan as saying that "Veneto might secede unless Croatia enters the EU".
"A thousand times 'yes' for Croatia's entry into the EU," Galan said in his comments on a possible postponement of EU membership talks with Croatia.
"There are those in the EU who believe that they are more European than others, that they are more democratic and competent, and that they can say 'no' to others who want to join the EU," he said.
"That 'no' is apparently motivated by some horrible things that happened in the 1990s at the time of the dramatic disintegration of the communist Yugoslavia. That part of Europe is known to be full of pain over the blood that was spilt in the 20th century, but all that is not enough to the gentlemen from Brussels who are super Europeans."
"For them, Croatia has not suffered enough. If they persist, Veneto might seek secession from Italy and Europe. It is time obstacles and mental and political walls were torn down. We've had enough of members of the European Parliament who are strong only in their ignorance," Galan said.
The governor of the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Riccardo Illy, also supports the start of membership talks with Croatia on March 17, according to the Italian newspapers.
The newspapers say that Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has met in Rome with Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean-Claude Juncker on the start of accession talks between the EU and Croatia. Luxembourg currently holds the rotating EU presidency.
The newspapers quoted a brief statement by the Italian government as saying that Berlusconi and Juncker had analysed the issue of opening EU membership talks with Croatia. No other details were given.