Rapidly to the most elite association –EU

It's been hundred days, of the second mandate in a row of Croatian Government headed by the President dr. sc. Sanader. The greatest success has been recorded in the field of foreign policy. From 1st January of the current year Croatia has been a member state of the UN Security Council, we have finished negotiations on accessing NATO, and the negotiations for a full membership in the EU have been speeded up. The visit of the American President Bush to the Republic of Croatia presents in a way specific acknowledgement to Croatian foreign policy.

We talked to State Secretary for political issues in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Mrs Bianca Matković about the success of Croatian foreign policy in the first hundred days of the Croatian Government.

You were at the head of the organisational committee for the arrangement of President Bush’s visit. Are you satisfied with the organisation?

We speak about a first class event in the political terms, which was very demanding and complex in both organisational and security terms. However, what guided us in the arrangement was the fact that Croatia and its citizens wanted to prove themselves as good hosts to the president of our friendly and partner country. It was important to ensure for our citizens to experience as less as possible necessary changes which follow such happenings so that they could conduct undisturbedly their daily duties and, on the other hand, to be able to participate in the programme of the President Bush’s visit.

We had ready solutions and the system functioned perfectly, every measure was taken on the highest professional level and according to the standards of Croatian legislation. The best indicator for that are the reactions and evaluations of our guests, domestic and international journalists, and our citizens, of course. We have received many congratulations and compliments for the work well done. I am pleased by the success of the visit and I am grateful to all who contributed to that.

What does the visit of American President mean for Croatia?

By the visit of the American President George W. Bush exceptionally developed, friendly and partner relations between Croatia and the USA were confirmed, in political, economic and security plan. We should seek in that a confirmation of an important Croatian role in the global scene and our position of an unavoidable factor in this part of Europe where we have become the leader and reliable partner of the international community. Such a Croatian stabilisation impact on SE Europe is our additional value and the most original contribution to the international community. It is also important that just right from Croatia, during the visit of President Bush, the message was sent to other countries of the region explaining that a credible approach to reforms had brought results.

American President celebrated with us our invitation to join NATO. A few days ago the process of accessing negotiations for a full membership in the Alliance has started. What was agreed at NATO Headquarters in Brussels?

In the first round of the accessing negotiations to NATO the agenda dealt with the political and defence issues which came out of the Washington Agreement. We expressed our readiness to participate in the system of common defence, just like our consistency in an active approach to peace keeping and safety of Euro Atlantic area. Croatia is, as we also reminded of, devoted to the principles of the UN Charter and common values of trans-Atlantic community – freedom, rule of law, democracy, protection of minority rights, and free market. The NATO representatives confirmed Croatian success in fulfilling targeted goals during past six sets of the Action plan for the membership, so-called MAP.

In the second round of negotiations we discussed technical and legal issues, and the amount of annual membership dues which is going to be liquidated in NATO budget. After that second meeting the Croatian Minister for Foreign Affairs will send a letter of intention to NATO with a fixed timetable for the completion of necessary reforms together with the confirmation of accepting obligations of the membership. It is expected that the protocol on Croatia’s accessing will be signed in July 2008, and that at the next NATO summit in spring 2009 Croatia will participate as a full member state.

According to the agency survey which included 1000 respondents, the visit of the American President proved positive for more than a quarter, more precisely 78%, of citizens. How will that visit reflect on Croatian economy?

The visit of President Bush has gave a new impetus to relations of Croatia and America and showed a way Croatia and the whole of SE Europe should follow. Without doubt, positive messages and encouragement to forthcoming and potential American investors to turn to further opportunities of investments in Croatia were sent. It is important to note that both President Bush and Prime Minister Sanader have arranged a visit of an American business delegation to Croatia who will, in talks with the Croatian businessmen and the representatives of the Croatian Government and local authorities, inquire the possibilities for the enlargement of a cooperation and an increase of American investments in Croatia.

We will try to engage as much American investors as possible, that was the crucial message by president Bush to the whole of an economic public who also said that Croatia had always known how to preserve and improve its security and that our position was to be more strengthened by entering NATO. Namely, it is the fact that the NATO membership and later EU membership puts Croatia in the range of safe countries, attractive for foreign investments. The best example are countries like Poland and Czech Republic which experienced a true boom of foreign economic activities after accessing the NATO.

In March you were appointed as a chief co-ordinator for monitoring activities concerning the fulfilment of all obligations that Croatia has to do in order to complete the EU accessing negotiations till next year. How many chapters have been opened by now?

Primary focus is set on monitoring activities of all the bodies of government administration in creating legal acts and decrees which directly refer to Croatia’s accession to the EU. Croatia’s efficacy in meeting all the obligations is oneof the preconditions for realising targeted dynamics of accession, and because of that we are keeping an eye daily on the advancement in all the fields which are relevant for negotiations.

At intergovernment conference on Croatia’s accessing the EU, that was held on 21 April in Brussels, the first one under Slovene presidency, the negotiations in two additional chapters – Traffic policy and Energy were opened. The number of open chapters has increased to number 18 out of total of 35 which are being negotiating over. The chapters that were opened at the last inter-government conference are the first ones in the past course of negotiating in which both Croatia and EU are requesting for transitional periods. Croatia asked for transitional period in both chapters, and EU in one chapter – Traffic policy. On opening the chapters the negotiations about transitional periods have not been concluded, but they are continuing through the exchange of additional information and their final result will be known on closing these chapters.

What are the latest given standards, are they possible to be realised?

Croatia has to fulfil four standards for the closure of each of the chapters. All the standards are in the framework of anticipated, they are of legal and technical nature, and their aim is the improvement of the condition of these sectors in Croatia. We will fulfil them efficaciously and without difficulties.

Will we be able to meet all the standards by June of this year?

Congruous to the statement of the EC President Barros, till the end of June Croatia has to meet all the standards for opening and hand them out to EU for a formal verification. After that there come phases of a verification of the standards in the European Commission and EU Council, just like opening of the chapters, while the dynamics will depend also on the European side.

In meeting the standards for opening we are progressing quite well. Croatian negotiators handed out all four standards from the chapter 12 to the EU in mid-April - healthy food, veterinary and fit sanitary policy, and negotiating standpoints for some additional chapters. The following inter-government conference, on the ministerial level, will take place in June. We expect to open negotiations on a few chapters there, and temporarily close in one or two. Croatia is scrupulously and responsibly approaching the realisation of targeted goal – till the end of June we are going to meet all the standards for opening the chapters. Everything that has been done in the past hundred days in the work of the Government in foreign policy is a big step forward in strengthening Croatia’s international position which will contribute to our successful political diplomatic and negotiating endeavour for becoming a part of the most elite association – European Union.