EP feliciteert Kroatie voor goede resultaten richting de toetreding tot de EU (en)

The European Parliament stresses the need for Croatia to resolve outstanding bilateral border issues in a report adopted by MEPs with 588 votes in favour 39 against and 22 abstentions. The report on Croatia "congratulates the Croatian authorities on the positive results achieved so far, particularly with regard to the number of negotiation chapters which have been opened.

" It urges the government to "redouble its efforts to meet the benchmarks for the remaining chapters," while also reminding the authorities that "it is now crucial to speed up the development of administrative capacity required in order to implement the new legislation." MEPs commend Croatia for its "exemplary Constitutional Law on National Minorities." 

MEPs also address the Commission, calling on it to "step up its efforts and increase the resources allocated for preparing, processing and finalising negotiating material so that the EU can respond rapidly and efficiently to progress made by Croatia in meeting the relevant opening and closing benchmarks." The House expressed its hopes that "increased efforts on the part of Croatia and enhanced support by the EU institutions can still lead to the finalization of an accession treaty in time for the European Parliament to take its final decision on the EU-membership of Croatia before the next European elections in June 2009, so as to start the ratification process as early as possible."

Remaining concerns for Croatia

Members express their concerns about the further need to improve the judiciary in the country, as well as efforts to eradicate the "in some cases unacceptably high level of corruption, which undermines the economic development of the country." While welcoming the fact that "Croatia continues to fully cooperate with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY),", they called on Croatia to involve media and civil society in maintaining popular support for the court after the negative impact on public opinion of some of its rulings.

Another concern remains the country's outstanding border issues with its neighbours, especially Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. In a similar vein, the European Parliament "shares with the Commission the view that, with increased efforts on the part of Croatia and continuous support by the EU institutions, accession negotiations should in any case be concluded in 2009." At the same time, MEPs state that the accession negotiations "should not be used as a leverage to settle bilateral political disputes falling outside the scope of the acquis."

MEPs welcome the decision of 13 March 2008 by the Croatian Parliament not to apply the Ecological and Fishing Protection Zone to EU Member States until a common agreement in the EU spirit is reached; is confident that, this issue having been finally resolved, decisions on the opening of new chapters can be rapidly taken.

Vote postponed on Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia progress report

The vote on the report on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was postponed to a later plenary session.