ZAGREB, Oct 28 (Hina) - A delegation of the Transnational Radical Party at the European Parliament held talks in Zagreb on Monday with representatives of the Croatian parliamentary committee on foreign affairs, discussing European
Union (EU) expansion following the admission of ten new members in 2004.
ZAGREB, Oct 28 (Hina) - A delegation of the Transnational Radical
Party at the European Parliament held talks in Zagreb on Monday with
representatives of the Croatian parliamentary committee on foreign
affairs, discussing European Union (EU) expansion following the
admission of ten new members in 2004. #L#
The delegation, including party president Marco Pannella, Emma
Bonino, and Olivier Dupuis, arrived in Croatia to receive Prince
Branimir Order decorations, conferred by President Stjepan Mesic,
for their contribution to the strengthening of Croatian
interests.
Foreign affairs committee chairman Zdravko Tomac told reporters
the talks mentioned a Transnational Radical Party initiative aimed
at warning the EU that the admission of 13 candidate countries must
not be the end of the enlargement process.
"We also mentioned the possibility of Croatia's being the leader of
Euro-Atlantic integration in the region," said Tomac.
"In our country, however, there is fear that if Croatia accepted
that role it would accept the fate of those countries as well.
Croatia is twice as developed (as them) and the difference between
Croatia and those countries is like the difference between the EU
and Croatia," said Tomac.
According to Dupuis, the Radicals believe the EU enlargement
process is incomplete if Croatia and the countries of the Balkans
and Caucasia are left out. A scandal should be caused to remind
Brussels that important parts of Europe have been excluded from the
expansion process, he said.
Bonino pointed to the feeling in Brussels that the upcoming
admission of 13 new members should end expansion to central and
eastern Europe.
The Radicals maintain the doors should be opened to other areas as
well, said Bonino. Croatia has to see if it is more effective to open
the doors to the EU at the head of several countries or to try to
enter the EU by itself, she added.
The objective is for these countries to become candidates, and then
to have each individually meet the criteria to join the EU, she
stated.
"The Radicals' concept is democratic. They have realised that
nobody in Europe has the right to exclude a part of Europe from the
EU. Croatia has the right to be in the group with Romania and
Bulgaria, and not to be left out," said Tomac.
Ten candidates for EU membership, Slovenia, Poland, Hungary, the
Czech Republic, Slovakia, Cyprus, Malta, Lithuania, Latvia, and
Estonia, should join in 2004. Romania and Bulgaria still do not meet
the admission criteria. As for the 13th candidate, the EU has still
not commenced negotiations with Turkey.
The Radicals' delegation was also received by Foreign Minister
Tonino Picula, who presented them with the Prince Branimir Order
with chain, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Pannella, Bonino, and Dupuis were decorated by President Mesic for
their merits in the promotion of Croatia's international position
and reputation, as well as its relations with other states, and for
their outstanding contribution to Croatia's international
recognition, the ministry said.
(hina) ha sb