Ambassador Degert made the statement in a lecture on challenges Croatia will face on the road to EU membership, held at a business lunch which the American Chamber of Commerce in Croatia traditionally organises for its members.
The level of the EU's readiness to accept Croatia is also demonstrated by the fact that the first screening (an in-depth analysis of adjustment of Croatia's legislation to that of the EU) started on October 20, slightly more than two weeks after the start of the talks, Degert said.
The EC official said that last week's events (the arrest of General Ante Gotovina) showed that the assessment about Croatia's full cooperation with the Hague tribunal had been correct, clear and fully founded.
Although there are still come political issues that need to be solved, Croatia's European future now looks bright, no more obstacles are expected on the road to the EU, and Croatia has been affirming itself as an example to other countries in the region, Degert said.
Speaking of challenges to be encountered on the road to the EU, Degert acquainted business people attending the event with the technical procedure of negotiating, both from the aspect of the EU and the acceding country.