ZAGREB, 20 June (Hina) - Croatia has made progress in the past year, in particular when it comes to the reintegration of the Croatian Danube river region and its commitment to the implementation of the Dayton agreement, said Doris
Pack, head of a European Parliament delegation for relations with South-East European countries.
REGION, COMMITMENT TO DAYTON AGREEMENT
ZAGREB, 20 June (Hina) - Croatia has made progress in the past year, in
particular when it comes to the reintegration of the Croatian Danube
river region and its commitment to the implementation of the Dayton
agreement, said Doris Pack, head of a European Parliament delegation for
relations with South-East European countries. #L#
The European Parliament delegation on Friday ends its three-day
visit to Croatia, which is part of the 5th inter-parliamentary meeting
of representatives of European and Croatian Parliaments. During the
visit, the European parliamentarians visited the Danube river region.
They were most interested in Croatia's political and economic situation,
the return of refugees and displaced people, freedom of media and
relations between Croatia and the European Union.
Addressing a press conference in Zagreb on Friday, Pack said that
progress had been made in the Danube river region. She also greeted
Croatia's efforts to implement the Dayton agreement.
Croatia was on the right track when it comes to two issues - first,
its cooperation in eastern Slavonia and second, its clear intention to
support a strong and independent Bosnia-Herzegovina, said Pack's deputy,
Austrian Social-Democrat Johannes Swoboda.
Croatia needed a more balanced media system and independent radio
and TV stations on the whole of its territory, Pack and Swoboda said.
If Croatia continues with the two processes and develops a more
open and balanced information system, its relations with the European
Union will have a future, Swoboda said.
Especially positive was the fact that many Croatian Serbs had taken
Croatian documents and decided to stay in Croatia, Pack said, stressing
the good cooperation between the Croatian Government and the UNTAES.
The process of return of displaced Croats to the Danube river
region and Serbs to other parts of Croatia was slow, Pack said. The
return of refugees was linked with the implementation of the Dayton
agreement in Bosnia-Herzegovina and one had to exert pressure on all
sides in order to achieve that aim, she said.
The situation in Croatia cannot be judged only by individual
aspects such as freedom of media or situation in the Danube river
region, Swoboda said, adding that the situation had to be considered as
a whole, in a 'package'.
Our impression is that the 'package' is more positive than it was a
year ago, Swoboda said.
EU could offer financial support for further improvement of the
situation after progress was made, Swoboda said, adding that EU's
financial assistance should not be made conditional upon the fulfilment
of all European requests.
The European Parliament delegation would demand the application of
those parts of PHARE program which could contribute to the improvement
of democracy in Croatia, such as student exchanges.
Pack welcomed assurances by Croatian parliamentarians that Croatia
was willing to amend the law on temporary management of abandoned Serb
property, which was adopted in 1995.
Italian Liberal Giorgio La Malfa, who is also in the delegation,
said his impressions were somewhat different.
'I am somewhat more reserved towards the results of this mission
concerning the stand of the Croatian government towards the solution of
current problems such as the return of Serbs….or the way the
presidential election was conducted,' La Malfa said.
One had to consider those issues very carefully before re-starting
PHARE program because Croatia had to understand that the EU and
international community seriously took their task to deal with the
problem of re-establishment of peace in the area, La Malfa said.
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