BRUSSELS, Feb 11 (Hina) - Belgium expects Croatia to join the European Union in 2007, the president of the Belgian parliament's House of Representatives, Herman De Croo, said on Tuesday after talks with Croatian head of state Stjepan
Mesic who is on a two day visit to Brussels.
BRUSSELS, Feb 11 (Hina) - Belgium expects Croatia to join the
European Union in 2007, the president of the Belgian parliament's
House of Representatives, Herman De Croo, said on Tuesday after
talks with Croatian head of state Stjepan Mesic who is on a two day
visit to Brussels. #L#
Belgium is confident that Croatia will become an EU member in 2007,
De Croo said and stressed his country's support to Croatia's
decision to submit an application for EU membership soon. The
Belgian official, who spoke to Mesic along with Belgian Senate
president De Decker, expressed belief that EU membership would be
in Croatia's best interest.
De Croo said he expected Belgium to ratify the Stabilisation and
Association Agreement between Croatia and EU by this summer. He
said the process was slower in Belgium because local parliaments,
which attach special importance to the protection of minority
rights, must ratify the agreement first.
(hina) it sb