He voiced confidence that the European Commission would give a positive assessment of the government report on the meeting of benchmarks in the negotiation chapters "Judiciary and Fundamental Rights" and "Competition Policy".

"Croatia has made very important headway in the things wanted by the EU. It can really be measured in numbers. It depends on European countries, on the European Commission to assess it. I believe they will assess that it is enough to give us support for getting full entry to Europe and closing the negotiations," Josipovic said when asked if it was realistic to expect the negotiations to be wrapped up next month.

Asked to comment on the dissatisfaction of MPs with the fact that EU ambassadors were briefed about the government report before the Croatian public and parliament, Josipovic said this was probably due to deadlines, voicing confidence that the government would make the report public.

"That's part of our accession path, our image, and all citizens, not only MPs, have the right to know what it's about."

Josipovic said he had not seen the report but knew its contents.

Asked if it was normal that diplomats should know from the report about every investigation that was under way while the public should not, he said the media had more or less reported about all of them and that some matters were confidential, adding that diplomats were also bound to secrecy.

Asked about the Hague war crimes tribunal's sentences against army generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac and the prospects of appeals, Josipovic said the appeal procedure was in the hands of the defence and that "one should have no illusions that some political means can influence a change of verdict."

He said it was up to the defence to do its job and that the state would help with documents and evidence.