European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn is on an official visit to Croatia. The visit follows a week after the publication of the report on Croatia’s progress towards European Union accession. Upon arrival, Rehn is expected to meet with Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, followed by meetings with members of the Government.
In the afternoon, after discussions with the Prime Minister, he will hold a press conference. A meeting with Croatian President Stjepan Mesić is also planned, along with meetings with the President of the Croatian Parliament, the presidents and members of the National Committee for Monitoring Negotiations with the EU, the Committee for European Integration, and the Committee for Foreign Affairs, as well as other high-ranking officials.
The Commissioner will exchange views with colleagues on Croatia’s progress on the path to the EU. He will encourage Croatian officials to strengthen reform efforts in parallel with the negotiation process to accelerate progress in line with the indicative timetable for full EU membership. Croatia will need to implement economic and political reforms with an emphasis on the judiciary and public administration, combating organized crime and corruption, and ensuring continuous progress on minority rights and the return of refugees, according to the Delegation of the European Commission in Croatia. (HRT)
