ATHENS, Nov 19 (Hina) - Croatia has made major progress in drawing closer to the European Union, stabilised its economy and established the rule of law, and it will probably become a European Union member in the next enlargement
round, Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis said in Athens on Wednesday after meeting Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, who is on an official three-day visit to Greece.
ATHENS, Nov 19 (Hina) - Croatia has made major progress in drawing
closer to the European Union, stabilised its economy and
established the rule of law, and it will probably become a European
Union member in the next enlargement round, Greek Prime Minister
Costas Simitis said in Athens on Wednesday after meeting Croatian
President Stjepan Mesic, who is on an official three-day visit to
Greece. #L#
Croatia has covered a large part of the road, signed an Agreement on
Stabilisation and Association, stabilised economy and
accomplished a high development rate, with the rule of law
functioning as in other European countries, Simitis said in a joint
statement for the press after the meeting.
The next enlargement round will probably also include Croatia,
which will join the EU somewhat later than Bulgaria and Romania,
Simitis said.
The Greek premier described political relations between Croatia
and Greece as good, adding that efforts were being made also to
improve cultural and economic relations, especially with regard to
two projects - the project of an Adriatic-Ionian highway and the
project of a regional energy market.
Simitis reiterated that his country would like Croatia to become a
full member of the South-East European Cooperation Process
(SEECP). He considers this useful as Greece would like to make the
SEECP a closer and more efficient organisation with a real
structure and headquarters, to facilitate, among other things, the
fight against international crime and people and drug
trafficking.
The Croatian president told reporters that the talks in Athens also
addressed cooperation in the region and ways in which Croatia could
help in the progress of the area.
"We have to turn towards the future and cooperate so that we could be
recognised in the united Europe," Mesic said, adding that all
countries in the region had to adopt European standards and rules.
Mesic said the talks also addressed concrete forms of cooperation
between the two countries, especially in the area of shipbuilding,
as Greek ship owners traditionally ordered ships in Croatia, as
well as in tourism.
Both Simitis and Mesic spoke about the importance of the Adriatic-
Ionian highway.
The Greek premier said that Greece had integrated the highway into
its infrastructure plans and that some parts of its sections had
already been built.
(hina) rml sb