"The EPP... prime ministers, but also opposition leaders, have given Croatia full support, even mentioning that it is time to start (entry) negotiations with Zagreb," Sanader said at the end of a summit of EPP leaders at Meise near Brussels.
The EPP is the umbrella organisation of Christian Democrat and people's parties with the most numerous faction in the European Parliament. Its ranks currently include 10 prime ministers of EU member-countries, among them incumbent Union president Jean-Claude Juncker and European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.
Sanader said the recent rejection of the European Constitution at referendums in France and the Netherlands gave rise to doubts as to whether the EU should be enlarged further prior to the ratification of the Constitution by all member-countries.
Sanader said that despite those doubts, the EPP leaders were willing to simultaneously consider the reasons of the failed referendums and open Croatia's entry negotiations.
He said he advocated this position at today's summit and that it prevailed, voicing hope that the other EU leaders would agree too.
Asked by foreign reporters when runaway general Ante Gotovina would be arrested, Sanader said: "As soon as we have valid information that he's in Croatia". Gotovina is wanted by the Hague war crimes tribunal and Croatia's failure to extradite him is the main obstacle to the opening of entry talks.