ATHENS ATHENS, May 24 (Hina) - A total of 40 participants in an economic meeting of Southeast European countries in Athens attended a working breakfast given by Croatian President Stjepan Mesic and European Integration Minister Neven
Mimica on Saturday.
ATHENS, May 24 (Hina) - A total of 40 participants in an economic
meeting of Southeast European countries in Athens attended a
working breakfast given by Croatian President Stjepan Mesic and
European Integration Minister Neven Mimica on Saturday. #L#
The event was attended by representatives of the business
community, investors in Croatia and those interested in becoming
one.
"The discussion, questions and answers referred to Croatia's
strategic coals in economy, the adjustment of its legislation to EU
standards and the privatisation process," Minister Mimica told a
press conference.
"With better business cooperation Southeast European countries in
transition, countries with small markets, can create room for the
entry of high technologies and foreign capital in the region,"
President Mesic said.
The second part of the news conference organised for all reporters
accredited in Athens focused on Croatia's path to Brussels.
"Croatia wishes and is able to fulfil European conditions by 2006 in
order to become an EU member in 2007," Mesic stressed.
Mimica added it of crucial significance that the European Union
finally announced a very clear message that the objective of the
Stabilisation and Association Agreement was joining the Union and
that the enlargement process would not be completed until all
countries in the region join the EU.
"We are not competing with anyone in the process of drawing closer
to the EU, not even with Bulgaria and Romania. We are competing with
ourselves, to get the best out of ourselves in order to complete the
reform process in Croatia. This will get us closer to the EU and we
expect the Union to appreciate exclusively such individual
achievements," Mimica said.
President Mesic will also take part in a plenary session of the
"European Prospective" along with his Macedonian counterpart Boris
Trajkovski, Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic, Greek Foreign
Minister Georgios Papandreu and the president of the European
Parliament Pat Cox, after which he will fly back to Zagreb.
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