Croatia calls on EU membership candidates to implement reforms and is offering its support in that regard, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MVEP) said on Wednesday after the European Commission released its progress reports on candidate countries.
The European Commission (EC) on Tuesday released its 2020 Enlargement Package which includes key findings on Southeast European countries aspiring for EU membership as well as releasing its Economic-Investment Plan for the Western Balkans aimed at spurring long-term recovery of the region.
The country reports asses the progress over the past year on political criteria, public administration and judicial reform, the fight against corruption and organised crime, fundamental human rights and freedom of expression, economic criteria and ability to take on obligations arising from EU membership.
MVEP on Wednesday welcomed “the progress achieved since the last report,” and called and encouraged “all candidates and potential candidates to continue with reforms.”
“Croatia will continue to provide its assistance and support,” the ministry's press release said and added that MVEP continues to strongly support the continuation of EU enlargement to countries in Southeast Europe.
MVEP added that during its presidency of the Council of the EU, one of Croatia's priorities was a “credible enlargement policy, based on merit and fair conditionality,” because it considers that “that effectively stimulates reform processes and is a guarantee of improvement and stability,” in this part of Europe.
It underscored that despite the challenges facing the EU, Croatia has managed to keep the enlargement issue in the EU's focus, and the crown of all that was the Zagreb Summit which sent “strong political support” to the Western Balkan countries, paved the way to accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia and opened the last chapter in negotiations with Montenegro.
These are “great achievements of Croatia's presidency,” the press release said.
MVEP notes that “regional cooperation and development, and maintaining good neighbourly relations, remain key in the enlargement process which is why it is important that the reports underlined the need for advancement in “sensitive issues” such as prosecuting war crimes and shedding light on the fate of missing persons as well as “creating a constructive atmosphere to overcome the legacy of the past and reconciliation.”
The ministry said that “bilateral issues have to be resolved prior to membership.”
In particular, the ministry underscored the necessity to resolve political issues with Bosnia and Herzegovina so that the county can “release its potential for reforms on its European integration pathway,” underlining that it is essential to approach and fulfil the June political agreement between the leaders of political parties “in good faith” in order to remove the problems in the election process.
Accession negotiations are continuing with two countries – Montenegro, which has made the greatest progress in the negotiations process, and Serbia.
The first conferences on accession are expected to be held at the end of the year when Albania and North Macedonia will formally open the negotiation process.
MVEP welcomes the progress achieved by Albania and North Macedonia as well as the first Inter-governmental conference with the two countries before the end of Germany's presidency of the EU.
It also welcomes the Economic-Investment Plan for the Western Balkans which was announced at the Zagreb Summit.
“This package should stimulate economic growth in the region and accelerate its economic convergence with the EU,” the ministry said in the press release.
