"We are now embarking on the second phase, which will not be that difficult, but easier," Sanader said at an emergency government session, adding that Croatia should conduct the negotiations in an effective manner for the sake of its future status in the EU.
The prime minister said that all relevant ministries and state bodies would be involved in the negotiating process in order to ensure the best possible outcome, and urged political parties to refrain from comparing individual contributions to the process of integration with the EU.
"We are proud as the Government to have brought Croatia to the beginning of the talks. It has been fully acknowledged that Croatia is a mature democracy and that its citizens deserve confirmation of European values by which they are already living," Sanader said.
"I am satisfied as prime minister and leader of the Croatian Democratic Union, the party which led Croatia to independence, and is today leading it into Europe," Sanader said, recalling that before the last elections the HDZ had been described as a party whose electoral victory would lead Croatia into isolation.
Sanader thanked all government members and officials, the President of the Republic, Stjepan Mesic, all previous governments, the first Croatian president, Franjo Tudjman, and all parliament members, who he said despite rivalry had recognised a national interest - membership in the EU. The PM also thanked coalition partners and the media.
He in particular thanked the present and future EU president -- Great Britain and Austria respectively -- for properly evaluating Croatia's efforts and achievements.
"I would like to thank the Austrian government, Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel, and Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik... for insisting that Croatia's efforts be evaluated properly".
"Our proposal that Europe should not become divided over Croatia has met with a response," Sanader said, expressing gratitude to leaders of all EU member and candidate countries.
He said that he would meet the chairman of the national committee in charge of monitoring the negotiations, Social Democratic Party leader Ivica Racan, to discuss ways to follow the talks, but he did not say when the meeting would take place.
Croatian government ministers did not hide their satisfaction with the opening of EU membership talks, stressing that it was a historic step that would be followed by economic development and better living standards for all Croatian citizens.
"The road we have travelled has not been easy, but has proved to be the right one," Justice Minister Vesna Skare Ozbolt said, adding that the reform of the judiciary would be completed before Croatia's admission to the EU.
Finance Minister Ivan Suker said the positive effects of last night's decision could be seen in buoyant trading on the Zagreb and Varazdin stock markets.
"This definitely shows that Croatia has entered a phase which guarantees a better future to our children," Suker said.
Ministers said their ministries were ready to carry out the negotiations in the best possible way.
According to unofficial sources at the government headquarters, the screening procedure for seven of the 35 negotiating chapters could start by the end of the year.
The government entrusted the head of Croatia's delegation, Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, and chief negotiator Vladimir Drobnjak, with preparing, for the first meeting of the coordinating body for accession talks, a decision on the appointment of task forces for each negotiating chapter.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was entrusted with drafting a communication strategy to provide the Croatian public with information on the EU and on the course of preparations for membership in the pre-accession period.
All state administration bodies were instructed to undertake the necessary steps for the first stage of negotiations.
The session concluded with PM Sanader proposing a toast to the ministers and reporters.