President Josipovic assessed the Croatia Progress Report as very positive, adding that the document unequivocally acknowledges Croatia's great efforts in adopting and implementing the EU acquis communautaire.
Key challenges for Croatia's integration with the EU are connected with the overcoming of the economic crisis, the strengthening of the rule of law, freedom of expression, ethnic minorities' rights, reconciliation and regional cooperation, and Croatia has shown visible progress in many of those areas, according to the press release.
Croatia is also aware of the need to continue progress until the fulfillment of the European Union membership criteria, reads the press release.
The report bears witness to the excellent cooperation between Croatia and the European Commission and EU member-states during the negotiating process and President Josipovic welcomes this partnership and expects that Croatia and the EU will spare no effort to complete the process within an optimum time frame.
The president called on all state agencies to intensify efforts in the completion of the judicial reform and in the fight against corruption and organised crime.
Croatia will continue working on meeting the remaining obligations from the programme on refugee returns and on enhancing the protection of minorities and will keep fully cooperating with the International Criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague.