"As an EU candidate Croatia will have to attach more attention to the rights of national minorities. Bearing in mind contacts between Croatia and Serbia, all of this should positively reflect on the status of Croats (in Serbia)," the president of the Croat National Council in Serbia and Montenegro, Josip Pekanovic, told Hina on Wednesday.
Such expectations are based on the fact that Serbia and Montenegro is about to sign a Stabilisation and Association Agreement, after which it will have to strictly implement EU principles.
The start of Croatia's accession talks was also hailed by the president of the only Croat party in the Serbian parliament, Petar Kuntic. He said the effects of European integration processes was visible in the region and expressed hope that Serbia's future too lay in Europe.