ZAGREB, Dec 3 (Hina) - The Opposition's HDZ and DC welcome the latest statements by the European Union (EU) commissioner on enlargement, Wolfgang Verheugen, and Austrian chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel concerning Croatia's drawing
closer to European associations.
ZAGREB, Dec 3 (Hina) - The Opposition's HDZ and DC welcome the
latest statements by the European Union (EU) commissioner on
enlargement, Wolfgang Verheugen, and Austrian chancellor Wolfgang
Schuessel concerning Croatia's drawing closer to European
associations. #L#
"For 13 full years the HDZ has been advocating and promoting the
policy according to which Croatia, as a part of the central European
and Mediterranean circle of countries, should join Euro-Atlantic
institutions by individual approach," the president of the HDZ
(Croatian Democratic Union), Ivo Sanader, said in a statement on
Tuesday.
Croatia wants to cooperate with all of its neighbours but "cannot
nor will be hostage to its neighbourhood," read the statement.
Sanader believes the view that Croatia should join candidates for
full EU membership in 2007 will prevail in the Union and the
European Commission.
"Of course, on that road Croatia has to meet its international
commitments and adjust its legislation and practice to those in
European Union nations. In these efforts it is imperative that
Croatia reach an economic growth rate that is much higher than the
present one," read the HDZ statement.
The president of the DC (Democratic Centre), Mate Granic, hailed
the statements but cautioned they should not deceive. He told
reporters that initiatives to associate Europe's south-east even
more far outnumbered encouraging statements such as those made by
Verheugen and Schuessel.
"The public doesn't know enough about Austrian President Thomas
Klestil's advocacy of a meeting between the presidents of Italy,
Greece and Austria and the leaders of countries participating in
the Stabilisation and Association Process, as some sort of sequel
to the Zagreb Summit, with the aim to step up association in the
region. Some German parliamentarians have similar initiatives. The
DC resolutely rejects any such initiative which distances Croatia
from the EU," said Granic.
The DC proposes adopting a parliamentary resolution on Croatia's
stance towards Southeast Europe and the application for admission
to the EU.
"This resolution should be reached by consensus and prepared for
the Union's summit in Salonika in June next year so that Croatia can
become an official membership candidate," said Granic.
He added his proposal had been endorsed by parliament speaker
Zlatko Tomcic, the chairman of parliament's foreign affairs
committee, Zdravko Tomac, and HDZ's Sanader. "Failing to join the
second enlargement round, Croatia will enter a grey zone which will
not see the Union for another decade," he said.
(hina) ha sb