"This is the end of eavesdropping in the lobby and the beginning of Croatia's real political participation in European policies. Now we will be able to participate in debates. This is the end of the period of drawing closer to the EU and negotiations, which in reality was a period of building the state," said Pusic, a member of the HNS Presidency who attended in Brussels a meeting of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR), held traditionally ahead of an EU summit.

Pusic said there was still work to be done in building a state in which one could live in dignity.

As for the monitoring to be carried out by the European Commission until the moment Croatia becomes a full member of the EU in July 2013, Pusic said that in some of the areas to be monitored Croatia should introduce its own permanent mechanism of monitoring.

Speaking of a referendum in which Croatians will decide on their country's entry into the EU, Pusic said it would be irresponsible to hold it a month after the signing of the Accession Treaty as envisaged by the existing parliamentary declaration.

"It would be irresponsible, because there is not enough time to additionally inform members of the public or motivate them to participate in the referendum. On the other hand, Croatia can't delay the referendum for too long because of the start of the ratification process in EU member countries. A realistic deadline for the referendum is February," said Pusic, who is also an ELDR vice-president.

The ELDR meeting focused on the economic situation in the EU, ways of dealing with the debt crisis and Croatia's accession.

ELDR president Graham Watson congratulated the Croatian Liberals HNS and IDS on their success in the December 4 parliamentary election.