The British parliament is expected to ratify Croatia's European Union Accession Treaty in the first quarter of 2013, Croatian Deputy Parliament Speaker Josp Leko said on Saturday after meeting with members of a British delegation on the fringes of a Warsaw conference of parliament speakers of EU member and candidate countries.
Leko held talks with House of Commons Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans and House of Lords Deputy Speaker John Roper, inviting them to visit Croatia.
"We have been invited for a return visit to the British parliament next year, before the ratification of Croatia's Accession Treaty, so one can conclude that ratification will follow in the first quarter of 2013," Leko said, adding that he did not expect any problems with the ratification.
The Croatian parliamentary delegation in Warsaw also met with Latvian Parliament Speaker Solvita Aboltina, who is well-informed about Croatia's progress in the policy chapter "Judiciary and Fundamental Rights" and believes the Latvian parliament will ratify the Croatian Accession Treaty without any reservations.
The delegation informally met with Irish Parliament Speaker Sean Barret, who said Ireland's initial experience upon EU accession had been exceptional but that now solutions were being sought to overcome the difficult economic situation, notably by controlling banks and reducing interest rates, which is expected to help revive the Irish economy.
The Warsaw conference today discussed the implications of the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union for EU parliaments, and the relationship between parliaments, public opinion and the media in parliamentary democracy.
