The European Union could give Croatia an accession date next spring, provided that it is satisfied with progress in reforms, notably in the judiciary and fundamental rights area, Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele told Croatian Television on Wednesday.
He said in Brussels on Tuesday that Croatia could wrap up the entry talks with the EU once it met all the closing benchmarks for the Judiciary and Fundamental Rights policy area (Chapter 23) and that the European Commission would evaluate progress in this area in the first quarter of 2011.
Asked if that meant that the EU could give Croatia an accession date next spring, Fuele told HTV that it was quite possible and that in its report next March, the Commission would focus on judiciary and fundamental rights and that it expected concrete results in practice.
If we really have good results in March, a good report, then yes, I think we will know a lot more about the date when we could wrap up the negotiations and about the possible date of Croatia's accession to the EU, Fuele said on Wednesday.
The European Commission seeks sentences in high level corruption cases, with Fuele saying the Commission wanted proof that the judiciary is functioning.
Names are not important to us. What is important is that the Croatian authorities prove that they have not only set up a system to prosecute corruption and organised crime, but also that this system is working, Fuele said, pointing to the need of reducing the number of pending cases in many courts, the issue of war crimes as well as the need for actual progress in the protection of minorities and refugee return.
To us, it is important that the system give results, that it work, that the judiciary change and have a positive effect on Croatian citizens, said Fuele, adding that required effective investigations, handing down verdicts and enforcing them.
If we see that no one has immunity, you will be close to convincing not only the European Commission, but the member countries, too, he said.
Speaking of the second most important policy area, Competition Policy, Fuele said the EU expected Croatia to fully align its legislation to the acquis communautaire.
Asked if Croatia could join the EU if it did not privatise its shipyards, he said, Why not? If it is in accordance with EU rules, then absolutely yes.
Fuele would not talk about a specific accession date.
I believe that if you sprint these last 100 metres and if you meet the benchmarks in Chapter 23, you really can wrap up the negotiations next year, he said.
