CROATIAN PREMIER: APPLICATION FOR EU MEMBERSHIP ON 18 OR 25 FEB.

BERLIN, Jan 21 (Hina) - Croatia will submit its application for the full membership of the European Union either on 18 February in Athens or on 25 February in Brussels, Premier Ivica Racan said in Berlin on Monday night. #L# "It is still not certain whether we shall submit application on 18 February in Athens or on 25 February in Brussels," the Croatian premier said during an informal conversation with reporters after his meeting with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Berlin. On 18 February Racan is to fly to Athens, the capital of Greece which is currently holding the presidency of the EU. Seven days later, Racan's meeting with EU officials is scheduled in Brussels, within the regular Zagreb-Brussels political dialogue. Racan's last night visit to Berlin was the first stop of his tour to European capitals where he should seek support for Croatia's candidature for the EU membership. In next weeks PM Racan will visit Rome, Madrid, London, Dublin, Vienna, Athens and Brussels. Racan described his tour to Berlin as very successful, and explained that his aim was not only to receive Germany's support to Croatia's bids to join the EU but also to ensure that German officials would lobby for Zagreb's application. German Chancellor Schroeder accepted Racan's invitation to visit the Croatian capital where he is expected in the middle of this year. Premier Racan said the German chancellor had been very well informed of reforms which the Croatian government was carrying out. He added that the German top official did not ask him about cases which had recently burdened Croatia's relations with the international community. The way we behaved in the case of General Janko Bobetko (indicted by the UN tribunal), helped us to accomplish two things: we have tested our friends and we have received the clear stand of the Constitutional Court that on such matters it is only the Hague- based ICTY than can decide, Racan said. (hina) ms (hina) ms