SANADER THANKS EPP ON SUPPORT TO CROATIA'S ASPIRATIONS TO JOIN EU

VIENNA, March 24 (Hina) - At the end of the Study Days organised by the European People's Party (EPP), Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader in Vienna on Wednesday thanked the EPP on its support to Croatia's efforts invested in receiving the so-called avis and official candidate status for EU membership, saying that this gathering was an opportunity for numerous meetings and the confirmation of support to Croatia.#L# "We thank the EPP and its faction in the European Parliament -- it has already adopted a declaration in Croatia's favour which supports the country's ambition to obtain the European Commission's avis in April and candidate status for EU membership in June." Sanader told Croatian reporters. He said that the Study Days in Vienna were an excellent opportunity for Croatia to clearly request and receive support. "Croatia could motivate other countries in the southeast of Europe to take the same path because we all need a stable neighbourhood," Sanader said. He added he believed that the message he and his government had been sending to European institutions over the last several months was a clear signal that Croatia expected a positive treatment on its path of joining the EU. (Hina) it