Croatia expects to wrap up EU accession talks by October 2009

17/09/2008

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Croatia expects to wrap up EU accession talks within the mandate of the current European Commission (EC), which ends in October 2009, Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and EC President Jose Manuel Barroso agreed after meeting in Brussels on Tuesday (September 16th). Barroso praised Croatia for its progress on the road to the EU but added it still has work to do, especially in addressing its judiciary, economic competitiveness and shipbuilding industry. Sanader agreed that his country still has "homework". He also expressed Croatia's readiness to overcome problems cited in the EC's latest progress report. (Vecernji List, HRT, BTA - 16/09/08)