Croatia promises EU to stick to reforms

Croatian FM Gordan Jandrokovic says his country will stick to a June deadline to on reforms to meet EU entry standards. After talks with EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, Jandrokovic said his country will push ahead with improvements in its judiciary and fight corruption. Croatia promises EU to stick to reforms "We are ready to do it and we will do it," Jandrokovic told reporters. The European Union gave Croatia a timetable by which it wants to conclude entry negotiations by November 2009. However, Zagreb has only opened negotiations on half of the 32 policy areas. Rehn wants Croatia to start the others, including on competition and public procurement policy, by June. "Otherwise the technical timetable becomes impossible," he said. "Croatia has good prospects of progress but also plenty of work ahead. For instance, on judicial and public administration reform and in the fight against corruption," Rehn added. Croatia's entry talks have progressed slowly since it opened negotiations with the EU in late 2005. It has had to pass major hurdles in cooperating with the U.N. war crimes tribunal and, most recently, by suspending a fishing dispute with Slovenia and Italy. The EU kept Croatia's membership application on ice for years until it improved its cooperation with the U.N. war crimes tribunal. In 2005, the government helped track fugitive Gen. Ante Gotovina and extradite him to the court in The Hague, Netherlands. Jandrokovic, Rehn, today in Brussels (Beta)

Croatia promises EU to stick to reforms

"We are ready to do it and we will do it," Jandroković told reporters.

The European Union gave Croatia a timetable by which it wants to conclude entry negotiations by November 2009. However, Zagreb has only opened negotiations on half of the 32 policy areas.

Rehn wants Croatia to start the others, including on competition and public procurement policy, by June. "Otherwise the technical timetable becomes impossible," he said.

"Croatia has good prospects of progress but also plenty of work ahead. For instance, on judicial and public administration reform and in the fight against corruption," Rehn added.

Croatia's entry talks have progressed slowly since it opened negotiations with the EU in late 2005.

It has had to pass major hurdles in cooperating with the U.N. war crimes tribunal and, most recently, by suspending a fishing dispute with Slovenia and Italy.

The EU kept Croatia's membership application on ice for years until it improved its cooperation with the U.N. war crimes tribunal.

In 2005, the government helped track fugitive Gen. Ante Gotovina and extradite him to the court in The Hague, Netherlands.