Croatia has achieved very good results in the policy area No. 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and there are only several yards left to the finish line, Croatian Justice Minister Drazen Bosnjakovic said in Brussels on Monday.
Bosnjakovic held talks with the European Commissioner responsible for justice, fundamental rights and citizenship, Viviane Reding.
"We said Croatia had made great efforts and achieved very good results and that these were the last few yards that we have to run," Bosnjakovic told reporters after talking to Reding.
After the European Commission on March 2 published a preliminary report on Croatia's progress in meeting the benchmarks in Chapter 23, the Croatian government drafted an action plan for meeting the remaining criteria and every two weeks it is sending reports about it to Brussels. So far, two reports have already been sent and the next one is expected on 12 May.
Bosnjakovic said the third report should include statistical data showing that the number of unsolved judicial cases had been significantly reduced and deliver evidence that the newly-established Judicial Appointment Council and Prosecutorial Appointment Council were functioning.
He said Croatia also had good results in fighting and suppressing corruption.
Asked if Reding had commented on the reactions of the Croatian authorities to the non-final verdict against three Croatian generals, Bosnjakovic answered in the negative.
A delegation of the European Commission and EU member states is scheduled to visit Zagreb this week to obtain information about the fulfilment of the remaining benchmarks for the policy area No. 23.
