ZAGREB, May 23 (Hina) - The chairmen of the Croatian parliament's committees for foreign policy and European integration, Zdravko Tomac and Mate Granic, said Friday it was crucial for Croatia to become a candidate for EU membership in
mid-2004.
ZAGREB, May 23 (Hina) - The chairmen of the Croatian parliament's
committees for foreign policy and European integration, Zdravko
Tomac and Mate Granic, said Friday it was crucial for Croatia to
become a candidate for EU membership in mid-2004. #L#
At a news conference following their participation in the fourth
conference of the Stability Pact in Brussels May 21-22, which
focused on the EU's new policy towards South Eastern Europe, Tomac
and Granic urged both ruling and opposition parties to "do
everything to have Croatia become a EU candidate as soon as possible
because this is in the national interest".
"We are at a critical point. Croatia may access the EU in 2007, but
may also be stuck in the western Balkans and share the fate of South
Eastern Europe's countries for which it is very uncertain when they
will enter the EU," Tomac said.
Granic stressed that South Eastern Europe, Kosovo and Bosnia in
particular, was the only unstable region on the continent, where
"final solutions are still lacking".
In this context, the European Commission has proposed a new policy
towards the region with the aim of intensifying the Stabilisation
and Association Process, providing support for strengthening
democracy and the rule of law, economic relations and especially
regional cooperation, said Granic.
"This document is good for all countries in the region, but the
least good for Croatia. If Croatia becomes a candidate for the EU
next year, then it is good for Croatia too. But if it does not become
a candidate, Croatia will remain in a strong regional framework,"
he said.
"If we do not catch up with Bulgaria and Rumania (which should
access the EU in 2007), we shall have to wait for the next round of
enlargement," he added.
(hina) lml sb