”There is a need to finalise negotiations with Croatia during 2010. Croatia’s efforts are not made for us; they are making Croatia a better country and a better society for its citizens. Croatia will become a better neighbour and will contribute to Europe,” Gunnar Hökmark MEP, Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group and Chairman of the Delegation to the EU-Croatia Joint Parliamentary Committee, said today in a debate on progress reports for three candidate countries.
”This applies to other candidate countries as well. All their achievements are to the benefit of Europe. Given the experience we have from the enlargement process, and very few regret our achievements, we should have the same perspective when we talk about these countries. When they reform they are becoming better neighbours,” Hökmark said.
”If we were to close the door, we would run the risk of facing new problems and new threats to European values. We need to move forward with enlargement based on criteria we fully support in order to achieve a better Europe,” he concluded.