Asked about realistic deadlines for Croatia's accession, Sanader described as "encouraging the agreement among EU leaders that all negotiations about the constitution, all institutional barriers (to enlargement) have to be removed by 2008".
Sanader said the adoption of the European constitution and Croatia's accession negotiations were not related, but added that these "two jobs, which are parallel and do not exclude each other," would be completed in two years.
"The fact that Europe will close issues about the constitution will coincide with the time Croatia will close the negotiations, and this will be in 2008," he told the newspaper.
Asked what would happen if no agreement on the constitution was reached by then, Sanader said "there is a group in the European Parliament working on finding a way for Croatia's membership in line with existing EU legislation".
"I think it is realistic to talk about membership in 2009. There is also the fact that all 27 countries have to ratify the agreement with Croatia, that we have to hold a referendum. Whether we will manage to do everything within one year of completing the negotiations is another issue, but realistically, 2009 should not be impossible," Sanader said.
In the interview granted after meeting US President George W. Bush in Washington, Sanader commented on Bush's announcement that Croatia might join NATO by 2008.
"It is logical that NATO and the EU work together, that the US and Europe work together. So far, all EU countries first joined NATO. Bush's announcement that Croatia might be part of NATO by 2008 definitely eliminates doubts whether Croatia will enter NATO and the EU," the premier told Vjesnik daily.