Croatia in the New Millenium: Toward EU and NATO Membership

Croatia has come a long way since independence in advancing social, democratic, institutional, and economic reforms at home and pursuing the goal of joining the Euro-Atlantic community. The strategic objectives of our foreign policy are to join the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The Croatian government is working diligently on preparing Croatia for the challenges of membership by adopting key policy measures aimed at improving the business environment and attracting foreign investment and know-how. Croatia is also working toward reforming its judiciary and public administration and protecting the environment to preserve Croatia's natural assets so that generations to come can enjoy the splendor and the azure calm of the Adriatic Sea and the magic of its thousand islands.

I was privileged to be in Dublin on 1 May 2004 to witness the historic enlargement of the EU. It was one of those rare moments when one genuinely senses an irrevocable, historic step forward, a long-time dream of many generations becoming a reality. As the prime minister of Croatia, being present at the expansion of the EU from fifteen to twenty-five members reinforced my commitment to ensure that Croatia is part of the next wave of enlargement and that we, too, take our place at the heart of a growing union.

I believe that this historic enlargement process has a continuous, inclusive, and irreversible character. The EU stands for economic prosperity and cooperation; it means stability and security. Above all it is the shared values of the members that stand out so strongly. The new enlargement has inspired a common vision of a better tomorrow stemming from the same values, the same principles, and the same dedication to European integration. I believe no European nation that shares and is committed to this vision and the fundamental values of parliamentary democracy, the free market economy, the rule of law, and human rights should be left behind. Croatia is also convinced that enlargement contributes directly to the strengthening of the EU. The frontiers of Europe's values are expanding, and each new country adds to united Europe's capacity to fulfill its global role. Believing that the true potential of the European project will not be realized until the countries of southeastern Europe join the EU, I warmly welcomed the EU decisions in spring 2003 in Thessalonica to open real EU perspectives for all the countries of this part of Europe.

Croatia has worked hard to move closer toward membership in the EU. A major step forward in achieving this important strategic objective was taken on 18 June 2004, when our country was officially granted the status of a candidate country, thus joining Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey in this select club. The accession negotiations are expected to commence in early 2005, and I have no doubt in their successful outcome. Croatia has already demonstrated its reform-making and decision-taking capabilities through the fulfillment of the Copenhagen Criteria required for candidate status. This achievement is a milestone in Croatia's integration process into Europe. The start of accession negotiations will enhance future reforms and economic policies conducive to advancing structural reforms in the legal, regulatory, and judicial areas and will achieve harmonization with the EU.

Croatians harbor no illusions about the challenges that candidate and associated countries face along the long and demanding road to accession to the EU. In Croatia, support for European integration has been consistently high. Our citizens are aware of the benefits and the costs of entering the EU. My government and I are also acutely aware that integration in the EU will not be an easy process for some segments of the population, and that we have to do everything in our power to mitigate negative aspects of integration. That is why we have embarked on a number of reforms—no matter how painful—that will prepare the country for the challenges and opportunities of membership. It is...