Post by Bozur on Feb 17, 2005 17:37:29 GMT -5
Croat gov’t, opposition join hands on EU bid
Brussels expects more action on war crimes suspects
ZAGREB (Reuters) - Croatia's conservative Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and the main opposition leader agreed yesterday to work closely together in leading the country toward European Union membership in 2009.
Sanader and former Prime Minister Ivica Racan, whose Social Democrats lost power to Sanader's center-right HDZ party in 2003, said joining the EU was a matter of national interest that should not fall prey to bickering between the two main parties.
«This does not mean a grand coalition, as suggested in newspapers. We simply see eye to eye on this matter of national interest, but we may and will disagree and quarrel over many other things,» Racan told reporters after meeting with the prime minister.
Sanader added: «We are seeking a national consensus about EU-related issues. When we do join the EU, it will be the success of both myself and Racan, of our negotiators, of everyone who supports EU integration.» He said Parliament would soon outline the negotiating strategy and national priorities for joining the bloc.
To join the EU, Croatia must apply the bloc's rules in 32 policy areas, also known as chapters, but Zagreb can ask for transition periods to ease the burden of implementing EU laws.
Sanader, whose administration aims to wrap up the talks in 2007, said several difficult chapters in the talks, notably agriculture, would be split in two to facilitate the process. «Also, we shall try to open as many chapters as soon as possible, combining the easy and difficult issues,» he said.
The EU's executive Commission told Sanader in Brussels on Monday it wanted to open talks with the former Yugoslav republic on March 17, as scheduled, but again urged Zagreb to show clear commitment in catching war crimes suspects on its soil.
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said talks would not start as planned unless Croatia convinced the EU and Carla del Ponte, chief prosecutor for International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, that it was trying to track down the most high-profile fugitive, General Ante Gotovina.
www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/news/content.asp?aid=51919
Brussels expects more action on war crimes suspects
ZAGREB (Reuters) - Croatia's conservative Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and the main opposition leader agreed yesterday to work closely together in leading the country toward European Union membership in 2009.
Sanader and former Prime Minister Ivica Racan, whose Social Democrats lost power to Sanader's center-right HDZ party in 2003, said joining the EU was a matter of national interest that should not fall prey to bickering between the two main parties.
«This does not mean a grand coalition, as suggested in newspapers. We simply see eye to eye on this matter of national interest, but we may and will disagree and quarrel over many other things,» Racan told reporters after meeting with the prime minister.
Sanader added: «We are seeking a national consensus about EU-related issues. When we do join the EU, it will be the success of both myself and Racan, of our negotiators, of everyone who supports EU integration.» He said Parliament would soon outline the negotiating strategy and national priorities for joining the bloc.
To join the EU, Croatia must apply the bloc's rules in 32 policy areas, also known as chapters, but Zagreb can ask for transition periods to ease the burden of implementing EU laws.
Sanader, whose administration aims to wrap up the talks in 2007, said several difficult chapters in the talks, notably agriculture, would be split in two to facilitate the process. «Also, we shall try to open as many chapters as soon as possible, combining the easy and difficult issues,» he said.
The EU's executive Commission told Sanader in Brussels on Monday it wanted to open talks with the former Yugoslav republic on March 17, as scheduled, but again urged Zagreb to show clear commitment in catching war crimes suspects on its soil.
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said talks would not start as planned unless Croatia convinced the EU and Carla del Ponte, chief prosecutor for International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, that it was trying to track down the most high-profile fugitive, General Ante Gotovina.
www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/news/content.asp?aid=51919