The completion of Croatia's EU accession negotiations is within reach and Zagreb should not lose momentum in completing the remaining job in reforms and in fulfilling benchmarks for closing the negotiating areas, It was said at a discussion on Croatia's EU membership bid which was held in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday.
The discussion was conducted by MEPs from all political groups, Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi whose country is presiding over the European Union until 30 June, and European Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele.
The enlargement is a priority of our EU chairmanship. Our aim is to conclude the accession negotiations by the end of our chairmanship provided that Croatia meets the remaining benchmarks for closing the policy chapters. We are very close to the finish, but several difficult policy chapters remain to be done, the Hungarian foreign minister said.
Urging Croatia to spare no effort in meeting the remaining benchmarks, the Hungarian minister said they counted on the support and cooperation of all EU members, the European Commission and the European Parliament.
It is important to keep this momentum to successfully wrap up the negotiations in June, he added.
Enlargement Commissioner Fuele said he had agreed with statements that the European Union should not give Croatia any discount neither should it set up artificial obstacles on Croatia's EU road.
He said that the plan to complete Croatia's EU entry talks in June was ambitious and that it could be carried out only if Croatia kept making exceptional efforts in timely meeting of remaining obligations.
Fuele said that the main outstanding issues were in the negotiating areas on Judiciary and Fundamental Rights (policy chapter No. 23 and in Competition Policy (policy chapter No.8).
He called on Croatia to show credible and convincing results in the fight against corruption, strengthening of the independence of the judiciary, war crimes proceedings, providing returnees with housing, enhancement in protection of ethnic minorities and in full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
Fuele believes that at the next accession conference, set for 19 April, Croatia will be able to close some policy chapters.
European Parliament rapporteur on Croatia, Hannes Swoboda, said Croatia's entry into the EU would also send a signal to its neighbours that the EU keeps its word when candidates do their homework.
He said that Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor paid a successful visit to Strasbourg on Tuesday when she met leading MEPs.
German MEP Bernd Posselt urged the EU to show a fair approach towards Croatia as the country deserved to be a part of the European family. No artificial obstacles, such was the case in recent years, should be set on Croatia's EU road, the German Christian Democratic said.
Slovenian Liberal MEP Ivo Vajgl said that he supported the Hungarian EU presidency's plans.
Most of the criticism came from British Conservative MEP Geoffrey van Orden who in the debate accused Croatia of failing to adequately address the issues of corruption, judicial reform, backlog cases and attacks on the freedom of media.
