EC Vice-President and EU Commissioner for Freedom, Security and Justice Franco Frattini participated in presentation “Accomplishments and Objectives of Croatian Judiciary and Internal Affairs in EU Accession”

Welcoming the participants of the assembly, Minister Grabar-Kitarović pointed out the significance that the Government of the Republic of Croatia is giving to reforms in the field of judiciary and internal affairs and described these fields as two of the most challenging, not only in the context of EU accession negotiations, but also upon becoming a full member. The extremely demanding Action Plan was the first criterion submitted to the European Commission to be assessed in terms of criteria fulfilment for starting negotiations between the Republic of Croatia and the European Union, stressed Minister Grabar-Kitarović stating that independent, efficient, and competent judiciary is the only thing that can secure citizens’ trust in the legal system, rule of law, and legal protection. She particularly emphasized the support that the institutions of the European Union are giving to the Government of the Republic of Croatia in the realization of reforms in these two fields.

In their address to the assembly, Vice-President of the European Commission and EU Commissioner for freedom, security and justice Frattini and the Croatian Prime Minister Sanader talked about the process of accession negotiations between the Republic of Croatia and the European Union, with a special emphasis on chapters Judiciary and Fundamental Rights (Chapter 23) and Justice, Freedom and Security (Chapter 24), the negotiation process of which is, according to announcements, expected to start soon.

The second part of the presentation saw Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia Ivica Kirin, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Croatia Ana Lovrin, Supreme Court President Branko Hrvatin, General Attorney Mladen Bajić, Head of the Office for the Prevention of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) Dinko Cvitan, as well as Assistant Interior Minister and Police Director General Marijan Benko.