[autom.vertaling] Het Kroatische lidmaatschap van de EU een stap dichter (en)

Croatia will today (Thursday 9 October) be told that it could start talks on joining the EU as soon as next year, the Financial Times reports.

According to the paper, Enlargement Commissioner Günter Verheugen, will tell his Croatian colleagues, during a Brussels visit, that if Croatia makes progress on dealing with war crimes suspects, EU heads of state may agree to open membership talks with the Balkan country in June next year.

Shortly before this date and by spring next year, the Commission is set to give its verdict on Croatia's application for membership - which was submitted in February this year.

Despite the country being attacked for not co-operating fully with the Hague tribunal - which is judging atrocities committed in 1991 and 1992 - the Commission is apparently confident that dangling the carrot of integration will pay off.

"We should tell Croatia that they don't have to wait until other countries in the region have the same level of preparation", said the Commissioner.

He added: "Croatia would increase the credibility of our democratisation process in the whole region".