CROATIA: Hungarian PM says Croatia is likely to get a date for completion of EU talks in April

Record ID: 560508

  • Title: CROATIA: Hungarian PM says Croatia is likely to get a date for completion of EU talks in April
  • Date: 9th February 2011
  • Summary: ZAGREB, CROATIA (FEBRUARY 8, 2011) (REUTERS) **FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY** HUNGARIAN, CROATIAN AND EU FLAG ABOVE ENTRANCE TO CROATIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICES CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER JADRANKA KOSOR AND HUNGARIAN PRIME MINISTER VIKTOR ORBAN SHAKING HANDS KOSOR AND ORBAN POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS AND WALKING AWAY ORBAN AND KOSOR SIGNING AGREEMENT ON COOPERATION IN ENERGY SECTOR KOSOR AND ORBAN STANDING UP AND SHAKING HANDS MEDIA WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian with consecutive translation into Croatian) HUNGARIAN PRIME MINISTER VIKTOR ORBAN, SAYING "March should be the month of success and in April we should be getting the magic date. If we don't succeed in achieving that accession process will be prolonged. This means that we are at a crucial cross point." MEDIA AND OFFICIALS (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian with consecutive translation into Croatian) HUNGARIAN PRIME MINSTER VIKTOR ORBAN, SAYING "We have a historic opportunity to unite Central Europe and to experience some good times together. Our mutual fate (of central Europe) in Europe until now consisted of sharing problems and going together through bad times. It is a heroic thing and a nice thing, but we are getting bored and fed up by that." WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNBITE) (Hungarian with consecutive translation into Croatian) HUNGARIAN PRIME MINSTER VIKTOR ORBAN, SAYING: "If we look ahead of us, into the decade which is ahead of us, it is clear that central Europe will play an important role in that decade and it would be a real shame not to participate in this." REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Croatian) CROATIAN PRIME MINSTER JADRANKA KOSOR SAYING: "During our talks today I thanked Prime Minister Orban -- and I am doing it again now -- on the strong, friendly and open support he is giving to Croatia in the final stages of Croatia's EU accession talks, and also for the support we have been getting from the Hungarian people and the Hungarian government since the declaration of our independence, through our hard work during NATO entry talks, and today." KOSOR AND ORBAN WALKING AWAY CARS AND MEDIA IN FRONT OF GOVERNMENT BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 24th February 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Croatia, Croatia
  • Country: Croatia
  • Topics: International Relations,European Union
  • Reuters ID: LVA71W10C04SYI57XBM0AP61GZ6D
  • Story Text: On a visit to Croatia Hungarian prime minister says next two months will be crucial for Croatia's EU talks and the country is likely to get a date for completion of its EU accession talks in April.
    Croatia is likely to get a date for completion of its European Union accession talks in April, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Tuesday (February 8).
    "March should be the month of success and in April we should be getting the magic date. If we don't succeed in achieving that accession process will be prolonged. This means that we we are at a crucial cross point", Orban said during a visit to Zagreb.
    "We have a historic opportunity to unite Central Europe and to experience some good times together. Our mutual fate (of central Europe) in Europe until now consisted of sharing problems and going together through bad times. It is a heroic thing and a nice thing but we are getting bored and fed up by that", he said.
    Hungary currently holds the EU six-month rotating presidency and Croatia hopes to wrap up the talks during that period, before July.
    For that to be achieved, Croatia must convince EU members that its fight against corruption and efforts to reform the judiciary are serious and sustainable.
    Zagreb also has to restructure its heavily subsidised shipbuilding industry to make it viable without state aid.
    The European Commission is currently reviewing plans for privatisation of five loss-making docks and the Croatian government hopes the plans will be approved by March.
    "If we look ahead of us, into the decade which is ahead of us, it is clear that central Europe will play an important role in that decade and it would be a real shame not to participate in this", Orban told the news conference after his meeting with the Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor.
    Brussels will in March issue a report on Croatia's progress in judicial reform. If Zagreb is given a thumbs-up, it would be key step towards getting a date for completion of accession talks.
    Diplomats and analysts say Croatia's goal is achievable, but cannot be taken for granted as both key criteria are the most demanding in the six-year-old accession process. If talks are wrapped up in June, Croatia is likely to become an EU member in 2013.
    Croatian prime minister thanked Orban for the open support he was giving to Croatia's efforts in the last stages of the the country's EU accession talks as well as Hungary's continuous support to Croatia since the country's independence in 1991.
    Kosor and Orban also signed an agreement on cooperation in energy sector aimed at boosting safety of energy supply, including gas pipeline connection and oil storage facilities.
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