PM Orban presented the priorities of his country's EU presidency at the European Parliament's plenary session, including the completion of Zagreb's EU entry talks. Orban expressed hope the EU would manage to overcome its internal problems and remove obstacles to enlargement.

I think it would be unfair not to admit Croatia which has been more successful in recent years than Hungary, which is already an EU member, Orban told MEPs.

After the plenary session, Orban told a news conference it was necessary to adopt a more positive attitude towards enlargement.

When there is a negative attitude to enlargement and when it is being put in a negative context, it means that the European Union has lost its pace. To be able to restore it, we must adopt a more positive approach towards enlargement and one of the turning points in that regard are Croatia's EU entry talks. Croatia must be admitted as soon as possible and our goal is to wrap up the talks with Croatians by the end of Hungary's EU presidency, Orban told the news conference.

Barroso told MEPs that the completion of Zagreb's EU membership negotiations in the first half of 2011 was an ambitious objective, given what was still left to be done.

Negotiations with Croatia are now in the final stage. The completion of the membership negotiations under Hungary's presidency is an objective goal, notably given the remaining requirements Croatia is yet to meet. This will require a lot of effort on Croatia's part, Barroso said.