EU ENLARGEMENT COMMISSIONER BACKS CROATIA'S EFFORTS TO JOIN EU

ZAGREB, Oct 30 (Hina) - The European Union Commissioner for Enlargement, Guenter Verheugen, has reiterated his support to Croatia on its road towards full EU membership, the Croatian foreign ministry said in a press release on Thursday. #L# During an informal talk at a dinner with Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula and leading Croatian business people in Brussels on Wednesday, Verheugen praised Croatia for its achievements in the past four years and voiced confidence that the country would continue drawing closer to the EU at an accelerated pace, the press release said. He said the European Commission would define an opinion about Croatia's membership application next March, after which the EU Council of Ministers should decide on the matter. Verheugen advocated the individual assessment of Croatia's achievements and stressed the importance of Croatia's progress for other countries in south-eastern Europe. According to the EU official, Croatia will not have to wait for other countries in the region, as its admission into the Union will send a strong signal to other countries that democratic reforms will be rewarded. Verheugen also stressed that there were certain conditions which Zagreb had to meet, referring to cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague and the return of refugees, the press release read. (hina) ms sb