ZAGREB, April 11 (Hina) - The parliamentary European Integration Committee on Thursday welcomed a report by the European Commission on the process of stabilisation and association in Croatia, calling on the government to intensify
efforts with regard to the implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.
ZAGREB, April 11 (Hina) - The parliamentary European Integration
Committee on Thursday welcomed a report by the European Commission
on the process of stabilisation and association in Croatia, calling
on the government to intensify efforts with regard to the
implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.
#L#
The key elements of the EC report were presented to the Committee by
EC Ambassador to Zagreb Jacques Wunenburger, who said that the
prevailing tone of the report was very positive, although it also
noted certain less favourable elements, particularly with regard
to the situation in the judiciary, refugee return, and the creation
of an investment-stimulating environment.
Croatia has been making efforts gradually towards becoming a
credible candidate for European Union membership, Wunenburger
said. Committee chairman Mate Granic said that the EC report was
"realistic, objective and detailed" and took into account
Croatia's individual efforts. He described as realistic objections
regarding delays in the adoption of a law on minorities, the
situation in the judiciary, and refugee return.
"Nevertheless, I believe that the report fails to note that part of
the problems regarding refugee return are connected with the fact
that there is no progress in that field in Republika Srpska, in
Bosnia-Herzegovina," Granic said. He supported the strengthening
of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the region, however,
he dismissed the possibility of institutionalising that
cooperation.
"Croatia strongly refuses to wait for a whole group of countries
from the Stabilisation and Association Process, but wants to be
evaluated individually. Institutional association is
unacceptable, Croatia exclusively supports active regional policy
and cooperation, which should be intensified," Granic said and
other Committee members supported his opinion.
Despite Wunenburger's claim that the EU was not considering
institutional association, Committee members wanted an additional
explanation about the nature of a political forum of countries in
the region and the EU that was mentioned in the EC report.
The Committee also supported a draft decision on the rules of
conduct of a provisional committee in charge of supervising and
implementing a provisional trade and transport agreement between
Croatia and the EU.
(hina) sb rml