EU Commissaris Stefan Füle bezoekt kandidaat-lidstaat Kroatië (en)

IP/10/163

Brussels, 17 February 2010

EU Commissioner Štefan Füle i visiting Croatia

EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Mr Štefan Füle will make his first visit to Croatia on 17-18 February 2010 to attend the inauguration ceremony of the newly elected President of the Republic of Croatia Mr Ivo JOSIPOVIC.

Commissioner Füle will meet the President of the Republic, Mr Josipovic, the Prime Minister, Mrs Kosor, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Jandrokovic , the Minister of Justice, Mr Simonovic, Croatian Chief Negotiator, Ambassador Mr Drobnjak as well as number of other international, European and regional high level officials who will attend the inauguration. These are President of Albania, Mr Topi, President of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr Komsic, President of Montenegro, Mr Vujanovic, President of Kosovo, Mr Sejdiu, Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Bildt, and Deputy Secretary of State of the United States, Mr Lew. He will also meet the EU Member States ambassadors accredited in Zagreb.

The Commissioner will have an exchange of views with his counterparts on Croatia's progress on the EU path. Ahead of the visit the Commissioner stated: "I encourage the Croatian authorities to continue the ongoing reform efforts in parallel with the negotiations process, in order to make faster progress towards EU membership".

Croatia will have to pursue economic and political reforms with an emphasis on the judiciary and the public administration, on the fight against organised crime and corruption and ensure continued progress on the minority rights and refugee return. Croatia must also maintain full cooperation with ICTY. This is important for Croatia itself, for the EU, and for the region too.