Steun in Kroatië voor lidmaatschap EU kalft af (en)

Support for EU membership has fallen dramatically in Croatia - just a few months after it gained candidate country status.

According to a poll by the Puls agency, conducted in September, just under half (49 percent) of those questioned backed accession, while 41 percent of the respondents were opposed to joining the EU.

"Croatia is following in the footsteps of the 10 countries that entered the EU on May 1. When the process of accession kicks off, as it has here with obtaining official candidate status, the public is faced with the fact that we have to negotiate on chapters and enthusiasm is fading", explained Prime Minister Ivo Sanader.

In January more than 70 percent of the voters supported joining the EU.

"With a public campaign we should be able to convince the public that it pays better to be in the EU than to stay out", said Mr Sanader.

Croatia hopes to start accession talks early next year and become a full member in 2007, along with Bulgaria and Romania.

According to a leaked report, the European Commission will not offer Croatia a start date for membership talks today.