Croatia receives EU accession draft
PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle
19.09.2011 07:14
Poland's prime minister Donald Tusk has presented his Croatian counterpart Jadranka Kosor with the draft of the EU Accession Treaty, which is to be signed in December, opening the door for the Balkan state to become the bloc's 28th member in July 2013.
Jadranka Kosor; photo - EPA
Jadranka Kosor said this was an exceptional moment for her and her country.
“The Republic of Croatia is standing one step closer to the EU membership. We still need to sign the treaty but the most important task has been completed,” she said.
PM Donald Tusk said that one of the goals of Poland’s EU presidency, which lasts until the end of the year, would be to finalize Croatia’s accession negotiations with the bloc.
“It will be a great honor for all Poles to welcome the Croatian PM and the representatives of the Croatian nation in Warsaw to sign the Accession Treaty. I am convinced it will happen this year,” Tusk said.
A group composed of 35 representatives of member states worked on the draft of the accession treaty. The document will be submitted to all EU members in November.
Croatia applied for EU membership in 2003 and six years of tough negotiations started in 2005. It will be only the second former Yugoslav republic to join the EU after Slovenia in 2004. (di/pg)