The EC's chief negotiator and EU's director general for enlargement met members of the parliamentary Committee on European Integration and the National Committee Monitoring Negotiations with the EU, whose establishment he welcomed.
According to a parliamentary statement, Barbaso assessed that Croatia was ready to join the European family. He said the experience of other countries showed how important was the participation in the negotiations of all political parties which achieved consensus regarding a country's admission to the EU.
Barbaso also commented on the EC's recent positive progress report on Croatia, the first since EU entry negotiations were launched on October 3.
He said that although the report acknowledged Croatia's progress in the judiciary and fight against corruption, these remained the two most sensitive fields which worried the Croatian population. He also underlined the need to reform public administration.
Barbaso said the report also acknowledged positive steps in the protection of minorities' rights, but added that the implementation of the constitutional law on national minorities was poor and insufficient.
Speaking of some issues important for an accelerated refugee return, Barbaso mentioned unbiased prosecution of war crimes and housing care for former tenancy rights holders.