Minister Jandroković attended Charlemagne Prize Foundation’s European Forum “Making Use of Europe's Potentials” in Aachen, Germany

In the discussion on the first day of the Forum, dealing this year with the new institutional framework of the EU, Minister Jandroković pointed out that Croatia received with satisfaction the news about the EU members’ agreement on the Lisbon Treaty. We look upon the Treaty and the institutional system it brings as not only a precondition for continuing the enlargement policy, but also as providing additional room for a new impetus to our accession negotiations.

Croatia is aware of the European Union’s expectations about meeting all of the criteria before accession, so that new members could be fully capable of fulfilling the membership obligations. Croatia is ready and determined to conduct all of the necessary reforms, as we see them as something we are doing primarily for ourselves. There is a deep awareness that acceding to the EU facilitates a faster and more quality implementation of reforms, said Minister Jandroković.

Noting Croatia’s accession negotiations, Minister Jandroković described their current course as good, expressing his expectations that additional dynamic will be realised in the coming period. In that regard, Minister Jandroković pointed out that Croatia’s goal is to submit before the EU all of the measures for opening the negotiations by end-June this year, enabling the European Commission to present a indicative timetable on the technical completion of the negotiations in 2009, as stated by President Barroso. The Croatian side believes that member countries will support this approach by the European Commission and European Parliament, which is congruent with Croatia’s goals, said Minister Jandroković. The continuation of the enlargement policy is important not only for the negotiating countries, but for other candidates and potential candidates from South Eastern Europe as well, pointed out Minister Jandroković, adding that without those countries’ membership, the EU will not be complete. In that regard, he stated that Croatia supports their progress towards EU membership, and considers that the only way to realise lasting stability and progress of South Eastern Europe. He pointed out that in that sense, Croatia’s accession negotiations are of additional importance for the region, and that Croatia is willing to share its experience with all those who will negotiate after us.

Croatia welcomes the new institutional solutions from the Lisbon Treaty and sees the agreement about it as an investment in the continuation of the enlargement policy as one of the most successful policies of the EU, concluded Minister Jandroković. He added that Croatia is continuing with the accession negotiations, determined to realise its EU membership as soon as possible, and is dedicatedly working on fulfilling its obligations.

After the Forum, Minister Jandroković met with prominent members of the Croatian community in the state of Northern Rhein Westphalia

On Thursday, Minister Jandroković is scheduled to attend a formal dinner in honour of this year's recipient of the Charlemagne Prize, German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The award will be handed over by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The European Forum is organised as a part of the Charlemagne Prize award program, the most prestigious award for the contribution to the process of Europe’s unification and integration of its nations. Last year it was awarded to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Javier Solana, while past laureates include such distinguished European statesmen as Tony Blair, Vaclav Havel, Francois Mitterrand, Helmut Kohl, Winston Churchill, Konrad Adenauer, Alcide De Gasperi, Robert Schuman et al, with a special award granted to Pope John Paul II.