I have a very busy schedule. The celebration in Croatia is late on Sunday evening, and if you look at my schedule you will see that it is impossible for me to attend, Chancellor Merkel told a news conference after the end of first day of the EU summit.

Merkel added she held talks with Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic and told him she would like to visit Croatia after the elections in Germany, on condition that she was still a chancellor.

Believe me when I say, I sincerely look forward to Croatia's EU entry, Merkel said.

Elmar Brok, German member of the European Parliament and incumbent Chairman of the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs, on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction with the echo in Croatia caused by the news that Chancellor Angela Merkel will not come to Zagreb for Croatia's EU entry central ceremony on Sunday, adding that it "is unfair" towards Germany, which, this CDU politician said, has done the most for Croatia.

It is incomprehensible that these days, in the times of celebration, the top story in the media is the non-arrival of Merkel, who cannot come for very clear reasons that are not political. It is utterly unfair towards the country that had done the most for the recognition of Croatia's independence, unlike a majority of other European countries, and that has supported Croatia's accession to the EU all the time. Over 90% of deputies in the German parliament voted for Croatia's membership, that is the message that you should send out to your country, rather than those protocol matters, Brok, a member of the German Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said in Brussels when asked to comment on the news that Merkel will not come in Zagreb on 30 June.