ZAGREB, Jan 21 (Hina) - Croatia declared that it would like to become a European Union (EU) member-state, and in this case rules, which cannot be avoided, are in effect for this country just as for other states, said the EU special
envoy for Croatia, Per Vinther, during a panel called "Croatia and the European Union". The event was organised by the Croatian Pan-European Union (HPEU) in Zagreb on Wednesday evening. During his opening address, Vinther spoke about the current state of the relations between the EU and Croatia. He reiterated already known European remarks about an insufficient level of the democracy in the society, reflected in the lack of the freedom of the media, particularly of the electronic media, and in the inappropriate electoral law. In Europe, there are other countries with the state-owned television, but there is a great difference between the ownership of the programme and the total contr
ZAGREB, Jan 21 (Hina) - Croatia declared that it would like to
become a European Union (EU) member-state, and in this case rules,
which cannot be avoided, are in effect for this country just as for
other states, said the EU special envoy for Croatia, Per Vinther,
during a panel called "Croatia and the European Union".
The event was organised by the Croatian Pan-European Union (HPEU)
in Zagreb on Wednesday evening.
During his opening address, Vinther spoke about the current state
of the relations between the EU and Croatia. He reiterated already
known European remarks about an insufficient level of the democracy
in the society, reflected in the lack of the freedom of the media,
particularly of the electronic media, and in the inappropriate
electoral law.
In Europe, there are other countries with the state-owned
television, but there is a great difference between the ownership
of the programme and the total control over it, Vinther explained.
The state can be the owner of the television and even the director
can be a member of the ruling party, but the editorial policy must be
completely independent, said the EU representative.
He added that all three national channels in Croatia were
controlled by the government, and described it as impermissible
according to the European standards.
Vinther said the electoral law had to be changed and a special list
for the Diaspora annulled.
It is not disputable that Croatian citizens outside Croatia should
be enabled to cast ballots, but they should be enabled to vote for
the same candidate who are voted in Croatia, he added.
Croatia is not forced by anybody to respect rules set by the
European Union, and if Croatia does not want to join it, there will
be no rules, Vinther told the panel.
During the discussion, most of the gathered openly showed
dissatisfaction with the overall relationship of the European
Union toward Croatia.
The issue of the regional approach of the EU was hotly debated. By
this approach in 1996 the European Union made no difference between
Croatia, Yugoslavia (Serbia/Montenegro), Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Macedonia and Albania. But, Vinther said, this attitude was in
accordance with the EU practice.
The audience, in the crowded HPEU hall, continued expressing their
disapproval after Vinther said that the same approach was chosen
for three Baltic countries and that EU member-states had been
subjected as well to some kind of the "regional approach" to be
admitted to the EMU (European Monetary Union) zone.
A participant in the discussion won thunderous applause saying that
the concept of the regional approach may be correct but an
"unnatural region" had been created in this case.
During its entire past, except in the last 50 years, Croatia had
never been in the region in which the EU placed it. According to its
civilisation and cultural heritage, Croatia belonged to the same
circle with Slovenia, Austria, Hungary and northern Italy, another
participant added.
Vinther did not let himself get involved in the heated debate on the
issue, but replied shortly that the region could be unnatural if
they liked so. He reiterated that the regional approach envisaged
the co-operation between neighbourly countries and conditions
which every country has to meet to come closer to Europe.
Professor Radovan Pavic claimed that the European Union was cynical
when it insisted on the lack of the freedom of the Croatian media and
on the problems with the electoral law.
In the spring 1995 everything was ready for Croatia to be admitted
to the PHARE programme and the Partnership for Peace, but after we
liberated our areas in the "Flash" and "Storm" operations,
everything changed and a hue and cry were raised, Pavic said.
The EU envoy declined to comment on Pavic's statement.
At the end of the panel, Vinther said Croatia was a country with huge
potential where many good things had already been made. It is not at
all in question whether Croatia will become an EU member-state but
when it will become join the EU, he added.
(hina) ms