ZAGREB, Dec 16 (Hina) - The Croatian government will continue investing decisive efforts with the aim of bringing the country closer to the European Union and signing the agreement on stabilisation and association, the Croatian
Foreign Ministry reported on Thursday. Croatia's Foreign Minister Mate Granic today received the outgoing head of the European Community Monitoring Mission (ECMM) to Croatia, Finland's Ambassador Jorm Inki. "Granic emphasised the Croatian government would continue making resolute efforts with the aim of drawing closer to the EU," the Ministry said in a statement. The Foreign Minister supported the signing of the Agreement on Stabilisation and Association between Croatia and the EU as soon as possible, adding the Croatian government expected to become the user of a new EU assistance instrument - CARA (Community Association and Reconstruction Assistance) - which is being
ZAGREB, Dec 16 (Hina) - The Croatian government will continue
investing decisive efforts with the aim of bringing the country
closer to the European Union and signing the agreement on
stabilisation and association, the Croatian Foreign Ministry
reported on Thursday.
Croatia's Foreign Minister Mate Granic today received the outgoing
head of the European Community Monitoring Mission (ECMM) to
Croatia, Finland's Ambassador Jorm Inki.
"Granic emphasised the Croatian government would continue making
resolute efforts with the aim of drawing closer to the EU," the
Ministry said in a statement.
The Foreign Minister supported the signing of the Agreement on
Stabilisation and Association between Croatia and the EU as soon as
possible, adding the Croatian government expected to become the
user of a new EU assistance instrument - CARA (Community
Association and Reconstruction Assistance) - which is being
prepared in Brussels and which would be a form of substitute for the
PHARE and Reconstruction programmes, the statement read.
Recalling that it was during the Finnish chairmanship of the EU that
the EU-Croatia dialogue was started, Granic said he believed
concrete progress in Croatia's building institutional relations
with the EU would happen after the constitution of the new
composition of the Croatian National Sabor.
Granic also supported the idea of lifting the level of the EC
delegation to Zagreb to the usual level of EC representations.
He expressed satisfaction with the cooperation between Croatia and
the ECMM during Finland's chairmanship of the EU Council.
Ambassador Inki reported ECMM members would participate in the
election monitoring in Croatia. The ECMM estimates that conditions
for organising a democratic and free election have been created,
the Ministry cited Inki as saying.
The upcoming election and the election campaign will be organised
in a free and fair manner, which will confirm the application of
European standards in Croatia, Granic said, adding there have been
no objections whatsoever in the first days of the election
campaign.
Granic thanked Ambassador Inki for attending the funeral of
Croatian President Franjo Tudjman.
(hina) rml