BONN HOSTS ROUND-TABLE DEBATE ON CROATIA-EU RELATIONS

BONN, Feb 7 (Hina) - Two Croatian members of parliament took part in a round-table debate on whether Croatia will make it on its path towards the European Union which the German-Croatian Society from Bonn organised there on Thursday. #L# The debate attempted to establish where Croatia is at this moment, also in terms of an application for full EU membership it will submit later this month. In attendance were Mato Arlovic, vice president of the Croatian Sabor, Vladimir Seks, whip of the strongest opposition party -- the Croatian Democratic Union, Jutta Tiedke, the German Social Democrats' commissioner in parliament for Europe and EU enlargement, and Ruth Hieronimy, the Christian Democratic Union's deputy in the European Parliament. Croatia enjoys the full support of Europe's political bodies in its bids, especially of the benches in the European Parliament, said Hieronimy. Tiedke unreservedly supported Croatia's efforts to enter the EU as well, but also pointed to some still unresolved issues, such as the border with Slovenia and cooperation with the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague. Both officials said the road to full European integration would not be easy on Croatia's citizens due to changes on the economic front. Arlovic and Seks outlined the situation in terms of the formal steps Croatia has to make to apply for full EU membership. They said the entire Croatian society was agreed as to EU integration, and thanked the Germans on their support to Croatia, both when it achieved independence a decade ago and now, on the road to the EU. (hina) ha sb