European Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding said on Tuesday that no compromise had been reached yet with the Croatian government regarding the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) and that she expected Croatia to change its law on judicial cooperation in criminal matters with EU member states.
Reding made the statement during a Citizens' Dialogue in Helsinki.
When asked about her possible meeting with Croatian Justice Minister Orsat Miljenic, Reding expressed hope that he would come to Brussels so that talks on the EAW could continue.
Last week the European Commission initiated consultations with the member states on activating a safeguard clause provided for in Article 39 of Croatia's EU accession treaty because the country's EAW law was not in line with EU legislation. The member states were given ten days to take a stand on the matter, after which the Commission would define sanctions against Croatia unless it aligned its law in the meantime. The Commission may, but need not take into account the member states' opinions because under the treaty it is responsible for activating the safeguard clause.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic and Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso have spoken on the phone and, according to unnamed sources, reached a compromise which has not been officially confirmed yet. The Commission has said that a solution is being sought and in that regard a meeting between Commissioner Reding and Minister Miljenic is being arranged, which is expected to take place in the coming days.
