PM Sanader says reforms not only because of EU, but for whole society's sake
Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said in Brussels on Thursday that Croatia was ready to implement all reforms required for the completion of accession negotiations by 2009, not only because of the EU, but because of the interests of Croatian society as a whole.
PM Sanader says reforms not only because of EU, but for whole society's sake
Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said in Brussels on Thursday that Croatia was ready to implement all reforms required for the completion of accession negotiations by 2009, not only because of the EU, but because of the interests of Croatian society as a whole.
"What we are doing is not only in order to meet EU membership criteria, but for our own sake as well. If judicial reform is something worthy in itself, and it is, then we have to implement it for our sake. If the restructuring of shipbuilding is important, and it is, then it's important that we make this sector more competitive, which some shipyards have done already," Sanader said after talks with the EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana.
Earlier today, Sanader met Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, who said the European Commission would announce this autumn that the target date for wrapping up negotiations with Croatia was the autumn of 2009, if Croatia met the requirements.
"If we do our job, if we do our homework, including judicial reform, the fight against corruption and the restructuring of shipbuilding, if we meet all the benchmarks (for opening policy chapter negotiations) by June this year, I'm sure that we can complete the negotiations by the summer of 2009," said Sanader.
"We can and we must start working now, and I'm sure that the government and the National Committee (in charge of monitoring the negotiations), the parliament and all other institutions with a part in the accession process will enjoy the support of whole Croatian society," said Sanader.
"The whole society must be part of this and there will be more difficult challenges ahead, like yesterday in the parliament," he said referring to a vote on postponing the application of the Croatian Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone to EU members.
Solana told the press that Croatia's accession negotiations were proceeding very well, that Croatia was important for the region, and that he hoped it would be invited to NATO at the Bucharest summit next month.
Sanader said he and Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg would focus "on an issue that we especially care about, and that's fishing and ecology with the emphasis on Jabuka Pit and the strengthening of our fishing fleet".
"We want our fishermen to be equals in everything, to make them stronger and use the EUR 12 million (of EU funds) to strengthen our fleet."
After the talks with Solana, Sanader attended a meeting of European People's Party leaders. "Croatia will be one of the topics... and I will ask for support for the European Commission's plan," he said.
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