Speaking at a plenary session on EU enlargement at the Crans Montana Forum in Zagreb, Monzonis Villalonga, who will take up the office of OSCE Mission chief on May 1, said that the countries in the region would have to enter into the EU in a row, with Croatia being first.
Monzonis Villalonga said he believed that Croatia's EU entry talks would start this year and that Croatia would become a full member in 2008 or 2009. He added that the other four countries in the region could become EU members within five years of Croatia's entry.
He said that ten new members had adjusted to the EU very well over the past year, dispelling concerns that the last enlargement round should be followed by a break due to possible problems with major migrations of cheap labour and other problems that were mentioned before the 'big bang'.
The forum was also addressed by Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic who said that the last enlargement round had additionally encouraged countries in the region to accelerate the adoption of common European values.
"We see the expected membership of Romania and Bulgaria in that light, and we believe that Croatia has such potential as well," Djukanovic said.
He said that Macedonia too was on the same road and expressed hope that Serbia and Montenegro, once they received a positive feasibility study, would also demonstrate such an ability.
He said that in recent years all South-East European countries had made major steps towards building democratic societies based on the rule of law and respect for human rights, which he said were the main conditions for EU membership.
Stressing the importance of regional cooperation, Djukanovic called for establishing a regional free trade zone, a joint power market and road infrastructure network.
Macedonian PM Vlado Buckovski, who also attended the meeting, said his country supported the stability and progress of the region as an integral part of Europe and voiced full support for Bulgaria and Romania's EU membership.
He added that this created room for other countries meeting the Copenhagen criteria to join the EU.
"We are following the example and experience of Croatia and appreciate Turkey's perseverance in efforts to open membership talks," Buckovski said.