:: Croatia Blog ::

Croatia has a big friend in Bavaria which supports its efforts to become the 28th member of the European Union as soon as possible.

Edmund Stoiber and Ivo Sanader, the premier of Bavaria and Croatia, have met on Sunday in Split, Croatia. At a press conference they stressed their good economic relations and the belief that Croatia will enter the European Union by 2009.

Sanader said that Croatia is changing on its way towards Euro-Atlantic integrations, and has transformed from a user of services to a provider. The naming of Miomir Zuzul as an emissary to the OSCE as an intermediary between Russia and Georgia confirmed the good international position of Croatia, says Sanader.

The Bavarian premier Edmund Stoiber said to the press in Split, that Croatia has a big and honest friend in Bavaria who strongly supports it, and will continue to support it in its efforts on becoming the 28th member of the European Union as soon as possible.

Stoiber also stressed that Croatia is a friendly country that is open to Euro-Atlantic integrations, and that the negotiations with Croatia and Turkey are not taking place on the same track, and that Croatia is at a great advantage.

- Croatia has fulfilled all of the conditions, and has achieved great progress – said Stoiber.

Both of the premiers have evaluated the cooperation between Bavaria and Croatia as very good, even though they need to be strengthened in all of the economic sectors. Croatia has increased its exports to Bavaria by 20%, and trade between Bavaria and Croatia has reached 700 million Euros, said Stoiber.

Source: Javno.com