Attending the reception were Croatian state officials, members of the national negotiating team, heads of working groups, the chief negotiator, members of the negotiating team's secretariat, and other experts involved in the negotiations.

Kosor thanked all for their committed and selfless work that led to the signing of the Accession Treaty.

Kosor said that participating in the negotiating process were also representatives of trade unions, the business community, political parties and nongovernmental organisations.

"I think that we can be proud... of the job we have done. I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

She recalled that the negotiations had been conducted in very difficult conditions and that there had been many obstacles - from the economic crisis and recession to the EU's preoccupation with its own problems.

She recalled that in the spring of this year many had said that the accession talks would not be completed by the end of the year. "We completed the talks by the end of June and signed the Accession Treaty, so the year 2011 will definitely be remembered in the history of the Croatian state and people."

Kosor expressed confidence that a forthcoming referendum on EU entry would be successful.

Croatia's chief negotiator, Vladimir Drobnjak, said that from the very start the negotiating team had had the widest possible support of all political factors in Croatia, which he said was crucial for the success of the negotiations.

"This is a huge success for all of us, but our work isn't over. A huge job of historic importance has been done, but now we have to prepare in the best possible way so that we can make the most of our EU membership, to capitalise as much as possible on this historic project which we have managed to complete in the best possible way," said Drobnjak.