The party's Central Board, National Council, Club of Parliamentary Deputies and Presidency said in their conclusions that the EU decision was a further step towards opening talks on Croatia's full membership of the EU, and welcomed the adoption of a negotiating framework.
Also welcomed were the conclusions of the EU Council reaffirming the status of Croatia as a candidate for full membership and confirming that full membership was the final goal of the talks.
The HDZ noted the absence of consensus among EU member state on the issue of Croatia's cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague and expressed hope that an assessment of full cooperation would be adopted as soon as possible and that the membership talks would start.
The party encouraged the government to continue its resolute efforts to ensure all conditions necessary for opening the EU entry talks as soon as possible. In this context, it welcomed and supported the efforts made by the government so far in carrying out necessary reforms for the further democratisation and development of the country and in implementing the EU recommendations.
EU membership is an irreplaceably important framework for the achievement of basic economic and other interests of Croatia, the HDZ said in its conclusions.
The HDZ also described as positive the agreement of Croatian parliamentary parties on the strategic importance of EU membership as a common political and social interest.
It welcomed the establishment of the National Committee for the Supervision of the EU Accession Talks and expressed support for the National Programme for EU Membership and government negotiating teams.
The HDZ called on all parliamentary parties to cooperate in achieving the strategic national goal of EU membership.