ZAGREB, Jan 24 (Hina) - Croatian Premier Ivica Racan will resume his European tour on Monday when he will visit Brussels and hold talks with European Commission President Romano Prodi.
ZAGREB, Jan 24 (Hina) - Croatian Premier Ivica Racan will resume his
European tour on Monday when he will visit Brussels and hold talks
with European Commission President Romano Prodi. #L#
The one-hour official talks between Prodi and Racan will revolve
around Zagreb's final preparations for submitting an application
for Croatia's full membership of the European Union. Croatia is to
submit its application either in Athens on 18 February or in
Brussels on 25 February.
The EC president and the Croatian premier will consider the further
strengthening of relations between Croatia and the EU, the
continuation of the implementation of the Stabilisation and
Association Agreement (SAA) and of a provisional agreement which
contains major provisions from the SAA signed to cover the period
until the SAA comes into force.
In the coming weeks, Racan will fly to several European capitals as
to seek the support for Croatia's candidacy to the EU membership.
Last Monday (20 January), Racan was in Berlin where he met
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. His other destinations are Athens,
Rome and Vienna.
Present at the Racan-Prodi meeting will be Croatian Foreign
Minister Tonino Picula and European Integration Minister Neven
Mimica.
On Tuesday Minister Picula is to meet European Commissioner Chris
Patten and the EU High Representative for foreign and security
policy, Javier Solana.
A day later, Picula is to pay an official visit to Luxembourg at the
invitation of Foreign Minister Lydia Polfer. The Croatian minister
and his Luxembourgian counterpart will sign an administrative
agreement on the implementation of the social insurance contract.
(hina) ms sb