The conclusion of Croatia's European Union membership bid depends mostly on whether it meets the tough final requirements, EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele said on Friday.
"It is very much in their hands," Fuele said in an interview with Reuters news agency at the end of a visit to Serbia. "Neither the Croatians nor the Commission are interested to delay this process one extra day."
Accession talks for a candidate country are divided into 33 chapters, or policy areas. Croatia has so far opened all and closed 22 of the chapters. Each chapter can be closed only if all 27 EU member states agree.
"It is still too soon to say when Croatia will be able to deliver one of the most demanding chapters, chapter 23, about the fundamental rights, freedom, and also about judicial reform," Fuele said.
