Parliament on Thursday adopted a Declaration on Croatia's membership in the European Union as a strategic interest with 127 votes for and one abstention, calling on citizens to go to the accession referendum on January 22 and express their democratic will.
The Declaration confirms that Croatia's EU accession on 1 July 2013 is of strategic national interest.
Parliament highlights in the Declaration the role of Croatian citizens as crucial in the EU accession process and the making of the final decision on membership at Sunday's referendum.
Parliament is firmly convinced that by joining the EU Croatia will ensure a stable financial and macroeconomic environment as well as a stable and effective legal system, and that this will contribute to the further development of Croatia's economy, industry and agriculture.
In the Declaration, parliament also affirms the commitment to carry on with reforms which are of vital interests and represent the foundation of a functioning rule of law, full social security and the wellbeing of all citizens, and which are also the prerequisite of economic development.
The Declaration highlights peace as the fundamental value on which Europe rests and the need to develop good neighbourly relations, firmly committing to the peaceful solving of all outstanding issues on the basis of mutual acknowledgement and respect.
Before the vote on the Declaration, Jadranka Kosor of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) recalled what the first Croatian president, Franjo Tudjman, said in 1990 - that the European prospects of Croatia and the Croatian people had been clearly defined for the HDZ from the beginning.
She said the HDZ was today in the opposition but also a party which would significantly contribute to Croatia's progress and fully support every government move in that direction.
Foreign and European Affairs Minister Vesna Pusic thanked all MPs on a quality discussion on Croatia's EU accession, saying Croatia was joining the EU at a time when there was no enlargement euphoria either in the EU or in Croatia as there was about a decade ago.
"Therefore, we are joining more rationally, more prepared and aware of the difficulties and of what the EU means even when there is no economic upturn," she said.
"Because of that we are, hopefully, joining fully aware that nobody will do our job for us, that nobody will be responsible and honest for us, and that nobody will be either able or know how to run this country for us," said Pusic.
"The EU certainly isn't a replacement for our abilities, qualities and possibilities, but it is a somewhat bigger chance," she added.
