Rehn - Croatia to enter EU in 2010, rest of Balkans with midterm

Rehn - Croatia to enter EU in 2010, rest of Balkans with midterm
Vienna, 14:27
Croatia might join EU by 2010, while other Western Balkan's countries have concrete midterm membership perspectives, upon meeting the requirements.This is the message sent by the EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn in his interview with "Wiener Zeitung".After Romania and Bulgaria, Croatia is the next candidate for accession in EU by 2010, if the Union adopts the new institutional framework, said Rehn, adding that Croatia is likely to complete necessary preparations for membership faster than the rest of Western Balkan's countries.Once Romania and Bulgaria join in, further enlargement would not be possible without adoption of a new Constitution, Rehn said."EU will have to reach an agreement on the institutional framework in the foreseeable future. To this end, I support the proposal for reaching a constitutional agreement. The Nice Agreement provides for an institutional framework for the European Union including 27 countries, that is Bulgaria and Romania inclusive", Rehn said.Asked whether Montenegro - which became an independent after the referendum - has a European perspective, Rehn said that Montenegro, Serbia and all other Western Balkan's countries alike, have concrete midterm membership perspectives, upon meeting all the requirements.The European Commissioner stressed that Bulgaria and Romania must reach the European standards, especially in the fields of judiciary reforms and rule of law, in order to avoid delay in accession process.Rehn specified that "structural measures and a clear political will for fighting corruption and organized crime are necessary"."Talks with Turkey may be defined as a long journey, the process of which bears equal importance as the goal. We have to see clear progress in the reforms implementation. Strengthening of the rule of law and respecting of human rights has to be in place", said Rehn, noting that Turkey is of strategic interest for EU, as Turkey the only European state that has links with the Islam.