Τετάρτη 1 Δεκεμβρίου 2010

Serbia Backs Croatia’s EU Membership Bid, Tadic Says in Zagreb


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November 24, 2010 – 8:31 am

BloombergBy Jasmina Kuzmanovic – Nov 24, 2010
Serbian President Boris Tadic backed Croatia’s bid to join the European Union as the former Yugoslav republics seek to increase cooperation after the Balkan wars of the 1990s.Tadic arrived in Zagreb today to discuss closer political and economic ties between the two countries, three weeks after apologizing for atrocities committed by Serbian-backed troops during the conflict. Serbia must prove its commitment to regional cooperation to win its own bid for EU membership.“We want Croatia to become a member of the EU as soon as possible,” Tadic told journalists after meeting with his Croatian counterpart, Ivo Josipovic. “This is great for the entire region, and we are convinced that Croatia will support Serbia on its path the EU.”
Croatia plans to join the EU in 2012, making it the second former Yugoslav republic to enter the bloc. Serbia is still seeking formal candidate status. Political and economic ties between Croatia and Serbia have gradually improved, especially since Josipovic became president in January.“This is huge rapprochement,” EU Ambassador to Croatia Paul Vandoren told journalists in Zagreb. “It’s great for everybody in the region.”Tadic, who arrived for with a 70-member delegation including representatives of Serbian companies, multinational corporations and government agencies, will meet with Croatian businessmen tomorrow, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce said.Croatia proclaimed independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, sparking a four-year war with rebel Serbs backed by the regime in Belgrade. The conflict spread to other former Yugoslav republics before ending in Macedonia in 2001.The two presidents said today they have discussed the issues of people still missing from the war and the return of Serb refugees to their homes in Croatia. Tadic plans to meet with Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor later today, before meeting with representatives of ethnic Serbs living in Croatia.“Both of our countries are investing huge efforts to resolve these issues,” Josipovic said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Jasmina Kuzmanovic at jkuzmanovic@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: James M. Gomez at jagomez@bloomberg.net

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