ZAGREB, Aug 26 (Hina) - After all state administration bodies submitted their responses to the EU questionnaire, the Croatian government's co-ordination bodies on Tuesday discussed two sets of questions from the questionnaire --
issues relating to political criteria and 29 questions defining the government's future policy, European Integration Minister Neven Mimica said after a joint session of the government's three co-ordination bodies.
ZAGREB, Aug 26 (Hina) - After all state administration bodies
submitted their responses to the EU questionnaire, the Croatian
government's co-ordination bodies on Tuesday discussed two sets of
questions from the questionnaire -- issues relating to political
criteria and 29 questions defining the government's future policy,
European Integration Minister Neven Mimica said after a joint
session of the government's three co-ordination bodies. #L#
"The first phase of the job is rounded up - all answers requested
from state bodies have been submitted to the European integration
ministry and we now face the task of establishing the final text of
the answers (to the questionnaire)," Mimica told reporters.
There are more than 1,300 pages of answers, with an additional 4,000
pages of supplements.
Mimica said that the 29 questions discussed today pertained to what
Croatia wanted and what it wanted to be, which, he said, demanded
political views and commitment.
Some of the questions were: what are the main challenges of the
future economic policy, how the government intends to define the
policies of regional development and territorial organisation.
Other questions were related to the industrial policy and the
promotion of the competitiveness of Croatia's economy.
Mimica said competent ministries had given responses to the 29
questions, but had done so rather partially, so the co-ordination
bodies discussed how to organise cooperation among ministries so
the questions could be answered in full.
The government's co-ordination body in charge of economy has been
entrusted with defining what kind of cooperation among ministries
is needed, which experts should be involved and in which direction
the talks should head, he said.
The task of answering the set of questions on political criteria,
contained on 300 pages, was done well, Mimica said.
The political questions relate to known issues -- cooperation with
the UN war crimes tribunal (ICTY), the return of refugees, reform of
the judiciary, as well as issues relating to minority rights, the
rule of law, the organisation of the state administration, etc.
The answers to questions regarding cooperation with the ICTY
reiterate the government's commitment to cooperation.
The replies explain activities in cooperation hitherto regarding
its legal and even medical aspect, as in the case of the late
Croatian General Janko Bobetko, as well as what has been done to
serve the indictment on General Ante Gotovina, said the minister.
The government should receive the entire set of replies by
September 26 and make the first revision on October 2, he said.
Mimica hopes this will also be the last revision of the responses,
but if something needs amending, it can be done by October 15, when
the answers are scheduled to be submitted to the European Union.
The replies to the questionnaire will be the foundation for the
European Commission to form an opinion about Croatia's application
to join the EU.
Mimica said he expected the Commission to reach a conclusion by next
April, that is, after parliamentary elections in Croatia and during
the new government's stint.
The responses will largely be the basis for Croatia's negotiating
team which will most probably be formed after the elections, he
said.
(hina) lml