Stabilisation of region added value of Croatia's EU entry, says FM

The added value of Croatia's accession to the European Union is Croatia's key contribution to the stabilisation of Southeast Europe, which was often...

(Hina) - The added value of Croatia's accession to the European Union is Croatia's key contribution to the stabilisation of Southeast Europe, which was often a point of instability in the past, and Croatia's importance in this is greater than its size, Foreign and European Affairs Minister Vesna Pusic said on Friday.

She was speaking at a special Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU) session on the occasion of Croatia's EU accession on July 1.

Pusic said Croatia had a real chance to be successful in building stable relations in the region and the stabilisation of the states in the region. She said the task was not simple but voiced confidence that Croatia was up to it.

She said the Croatian state and society had matured during the tough and demanding accession negotiations, and that in future Croatians must build their society and state with more awareness and more effort.

Additional awareness and responsibility will have to be shown as of July 1 because the EU will not solve Croatia's problems, Pusic said.

She recalled that two-thirds of Croatian citizens felt the EU was the framework in which they had the chance to organise their country so that it served all its citizens.

That's why, as of July 1, we have to realise that how we promote and protect our own and global interests is up to us and that without Croatia the EU won't be able to decide on many issues, said Pusic.

She said the HAZU should play a big role in the definition of Croatian interests and goals as an institution made up of Croatia's intellectual elite.

Pusic said she realised that Croatia was entering the EU at a time without euphoria, different than during the 2007 enlargement, when there was criticism that the countries joining the EU were insufficiently prepared. She said the 2007 enlargement was important for the EU because of geopolitics.

Looking back on the 12 years of Croatia's path towards EU membership, Pusic said there were many unexpected difficulties but that the period saw the building of a political consensus.

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