ZAGREB, Jan 22 (Hina) - Regardless of the fact that Croatia and Bulgaria are not at the same level in the development of relations with the European Union, the two countries can successfully exchange experience in negotiations and
support each other in the process of association with the European Union, Croatia's and Bulgaria's main negotiators with the European Union Neven Mimica and Vladimir Kisiov said in Zagreb Monday. "Even though Bulgaria is already in the process of negotiations on a full membership, while Croatia is in the phase of negotiations which will lead the country to an associate membership, there are many reasons why it is of interest to both countries to exchange experience", Mimica said in Croatia's European Integration Ministry after the talks. We believe it is significant for our Bulgarian colleagues to closely follow the stabilisation and association process in a region bordering with
ZAGREB, Jan 22 (Hina) - Regardless of the fact that Croatia and
Bulgaria are not at the same level in the development of relations
with the European Union, the two countries can successfully
exchange experience in negotiations and support each other in the
process of association with the European Union, Croatia's and
Bulgaria's main negotiators with the European Union Neven Mimica
and Vladimir Kisiov said in Zagreb Monday.
"Even though Bulgaria is already in the process of negotiations on a
full membership, while Croatia is in the phase of negotiations
which will lead the country to an associate membership, there are
many reasons why it is of interest to both countries to exchange
experience", Mimica said in Croatia's European Integration
Ministry after the talks.
We believe it is significant for our Bulgarian colleagues to
closely follow the stabilisation and association process in a
region bordering with Bulgaria, even more so considering that
regional cooperation within the stabilisation and association
process includes cooperation with candidate countries. Croatia can
benefit from Bulgaria's experience aboutof the pace of the
liberalisation of the market for products from the European Union,
Mimica stressed.
In his opinion an accelerated liberalisation creates conditions
for a development, even in sensitive field such as agriculture,
rather than maintaining certain barriers which only apparently
protect the domestic production.
Bulgaria became an associated European Union member in 1993, and it
has been conducting negotiations on a full membership since early
2000.
Kisiov said his country was interested to see Croatia successfully
conduct negotiations with the European Union, adding it was
important that each country be assessed according to its own
merits.
By today's meeting, Croatia's negotiators with the European Union
continued a series of talks with main negotiators of candidate
countries for entering the European Union. A Croatian delegation,
headed by Mimica, has recently visited Latvia.
"Croatia does not intend to compete with anyone in the process of
association with the European Union, but itself, however, it is
important to be informed of experiences of other countries which
had already taken the path that we are about to take", Mimica said.
Bulgaria's deputy foreign minister and main negotiator with the
European Union is on a two-day visit to Zagreb. On Tuesday he is
scheduled to hold talks with Croatian assistant foreign minister
Vladimir Matek.
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