The president of the Croatian People's Party (HNS), Vesna Pusic, received the news about the launching of membership talks with enthusiasm, stressing that her party had been advocating Croatia's joining the EU since the early 1990s.
The president of the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), Zlatko Tomcic, is also satisfied with the decision on the launching of EU membership talks. "This is good news after a long period of uneasiness and uncertainty," Tomcic said.
He warned that Croatia had to carry out serious preparations for the negotiations, define its negotiating positions, its goals and the way of joining the EU.
Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) vice president Damir Kajin expressed satisfaction with the fact that the start of the negotiations meant that Croatia "is definitely leaving the Balkan Express". "Croatia cannot escape from the Balkans geographically, but this is definitely separation from the Balkans in the political sense," he said.
The IDS official said, however, that Croatia had a lot of problems, from the situation in the judiciary, which he said had to undergo reforms, to economic problems. He said that a change in the current mind-set was necessary.
The president of the Democratic Centre (DC), Vesna Skare Ozbolt, said the start of the negotiations with the EU was a great success and one of the most important days in Croatia's recent history. "However, one must not be euphoric about it but use the situation to show that we really belong to Europe," Skare Ozbolt said, adding that special attention in the negotiations had to be attached to the economy, agriculture and real-estate market.
The secretary-general of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Ivan Jarnjak, said the HDZ had fulfilled its promise to citizens which he said had contributed to a great extent to the party's electoral victory.
The leader of the Social Democrats (SDP), Ivica Racan, said he had congratulated Prime Minister Ivo Sanader by telephone last night, and added that he also congratulated all who had contributed to the opening of the talks.
Whether in power or in the opposition, the SDP has contributed to Croatia's efforts to draw closer to the EU and will continue doing so, Racan said.
The leader of the Party of Rights (HSP), Anto Djapic, said this exceptional event made it possible for Croatia to start the process of EU integration outside the western Balkan package, which he said had threatened the country in recent years.
Djapic said last night's events showed that General Ante Gotovina, who is wanted by the UN war crimes tribunal, was not the main reason why the talks had been postponed in March, but only served as an instrument of pressure on Croatia.
The vice-president of the Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS), Milorad Pupovac, said the decision was the most important event in the cooperation between the SDSS and the HDZ-led government, adding that he was satisfied that his party had contributed to the opening of membership talks.
The vice-president of the Social Liberals (HSLS), Djurdja Adlesic, congratulated the government of Ivo Sanader as well as the former coalition government on the job well done.
"We have very little time to adjust the economy and laws to the EU standards so that our economy could survive. This is a difficult job and we see no reason whatsoever for celebration," Adlesic said.
The president of the Party of Pensioners (HSU), Vladimir Jordan, also expressed satisfaction with the news of the start of talks.
All party leaders agreed that Croatia was facing the difficult task of negotiation and that there was no reason for euphoria.