NEW EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TO HAVE SEPARATE COMMITTEE FOR RELATIONS WITH CROATIA

ZAGREB/STRASBOURG, March 11 (Hina) - The European Parliament on Wednesday adopted a resolution on the reorganisation of inter-parliamentary delegations and committees which envisages the division of the Delegation to South East Europe into two separate parliamentary committees -- one for relations with Croatia and one for relations with Macedonia -- while a delegation will remain for relations with Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia-Montenegro, including Kosovo.#L# Until now the Delegation to South East Europe was in charge for relations with Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia-Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania. In the new European Parliament, to be elected in June, the delegation will be divided into two Joint Parliamentary Committees (JPCs), one for Croatia and one for Macedonia. The delegation will remain in charge of relations for the other three countries. The resolution defines three categories of inter-parliamentary delegations. JPCs are set up with parliaments of states which have begun negotiations on accession with the European Union or have signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement or cooperation agreements. (Hina) ha