Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko said in Paris on Thursday he was proud of today's ratification of Croatia's European Union accession treaty in the French parliament, confident that the issue with Slovenia would be solved and that Croatia would join the EU on July 1 "in the formal and actual sense."
Croatia is credible when it comes to the European policy. It has been recognised as a country with political, economic and cultural potential, Leko told Croatian reporters after meeting with French National Assembly President Claude Bartolone.
Leko attended today's ratification.
When France, where the idea of a united Europe was born, gives such flattering assessments, it's reason for everyone in Croatia to be proud. It's all wind in the Croatian policy's sails to more resolutely embark on reforms so that Croatia's economy can be competitive in Europe, he said.
Leko said Croatia could help its neighbours in their EU accession negotiations and alignment with EU standards.
Asked if he thought there would be a solution to the problem with Slovenia, which was mentioned several times in today's discussion in the French parliament as a possible obstacle to the accession treaty ratification, Leko said it was good that this was mentioned but that relations regarding Ljubljanska Banka remained bilateral.
"Our friends in France want those relations to be resolved in bilateral and good-neighbourly discussions. I believe the issue can be solved, that's why we are working on it. We are completely confident that the dispute can be solved. I believe Croatia will become a member on July 1 this year in the formal and actual sense."
