ZAGREB, Feb 20 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic and Prime Minister Ivica Racan signed the country's official application for membership of the European Union in the government building Friday, in the presence of Parliament
President Zlatko Tomcic.
ZAGREB, Feb 20 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic and Prime
Minister Ivica Racan signed the country's official application for
membership of the European Union in the government building Friday,
in the presence of Parliament President Zlatko Tomcic. #L#
Premier Racan will officially submit the application to his Greek
counterpart Constantinos Simitis in Athens on Friday, exactly a
year and a half after Croatia signed the Stabilisation and
Association Agreement with the EU.
The text of the application reads that it is based on Croatian
Parliament Resolution and the Stabilisation and Association
Agreement with the EU.
"Europe is definitely our goal, but also our fate. If this is the
case, then we take fate into our own hands," President Mesic said
after the signing.
On the path towards the EU "we must work and prove that we are ready
to fulfil conditions set before us," parliament head Tomcic said
and stressed the importance of the activities of all political
factors, as well as the public. By adopting Resolution on Croatia's
joining the EU, parliament made a necessary step forward on the path
towards Europe, Tomcic said.
"Our fate is in our hands" said premier Racan and added that "we have
done a lot, but there is a lot more to be done". Racan voiced
confidence in success.
The application will be submitted along with Resolution on
Croatia's joining the EU, adopted in December 2002.
The application will also be accompanied by a promotional CD
entitled "RE:member CROATIA", which Croatian European Integration
Minister Neven Mimica presented today at the signing. The
promotional CD includes speeches by President Mesic and Premier
Racan, specific political conditions of Croatia's joining the EU,
basic data on Croatia and a video recording on Croatia's tourist and
historical heritage.
(hina) it sb