ZAGREB, Nov 20 (Hina) - More than fifty per cent of all measures required to implement the Stabilisation and Association Agreement have been met to date, Croatian European Integration Minister Neven Mimica claimed on Wednesday
speaking at the Diplomatic Forum of the International Relations' Institute (IMO) in Zagreb.
ZAGREB, Nov 20 (Hina) - More than fifty per cent of all measures
required to implement the Stabilisation and Association Agreement
have been met to date, Croatian European Integration Minister Neven
Mimica claimed on Wednesday speaking at the Diplomatic Forum of the
International Relations' Institute (IMO) in Zagreb. #L#
Mimica spoke along with German Ambassador Gebhardt Weiss at the
presentation of a book dedicated to Croatia's path towards the EU, a
collection of papers by a group of authors published by the IMO and
the Centre for European Integration Studies in Bonn.
Minister Mimica also pointed out that the documents the government
adopted these days, show that Croatia had managed to achieve a great
deal. Mimica expects this to be confirmed by the EU in its first
annual report relating to Croatia's achievements. According to
that document, a half of what Croatia is expected to achieve by 2006
was completed in the first year since signing the Agreement.
According to Minister Mimica, political demands set by the EU have
not been fully fulfilled. Mimica added that a reform programme for
the judiciary for the next five years had been adopted and that the
minority law would be in its second reading in the Sabor before the
end of the month and the law on Croatian Radio and Television should
be in the Sabor soon too. "The problem of refugee returns and
property rights still remains and we are working on this," Mimica
said.
By January 1, 2007, Croatia will have completed all the tasks
necessary to be eligible for membership to the EU, Mimica pointed
out adding that it would also depend on the EU if and when it wanted
to accept Croatia as a member. He also announced that in 2003,
Croatia would submit a formal application for membership to the
EU.
Ambassador Weiss said that it was in Germany's national interest to
see Croatia included in Euro-Atlantic structures, however,
Croatia's interior affairs were not always clear to foreigners. He
added that he hoped that following the first round of accession in
2003, the EU's support to Croatia's joining the EU would grow.
The presentation of the publication containing analysis and
assessments of the main segments of development in the Croatian
society and the country in the past ten years as well as strategic
estimates for future development was attended by state officials,
independent local and foreign and academics, experts and
representatives of non-government organisations and the press.
(hina) sp it sb