Croatia will be told it can become the 28th EU member on 1 July 2013 at Monday night's dinner of foreign ministers in a gesture of faith to the country's reformist prime minister, according to an article published by The Telegraph daily on Monday.
"Jadranka Kosor, the country's reformist prime minister, had pleaded for a membership date to be given by June as a gesture to mark the 20th anniversary of independence from the former Yugoslavia," the daily said.
"Since assuming office in 2009, Mrs Kosor has reinvigorated Croatia's EU bid by attacking corruption – even her predecessor is facing graft charges – and offering to resolve a long standing impasse over prosecution of war crimes in the Balkan wars," The Telegraph said.
Croatia has strong backing from Austria and Germany for its bid, but has had to overcome the reservations of Britain, France and the Netherlands, which have imposed the toughest ever "accession" conditions on Zagreb, the daily said.
Diplomats are confident that concessions – including new war crimes tribunals run by Western-trained judges - will be implemented.
"The time to use your leverage is before accession is agreed and we are confident we've got the right conditions in place," The Telegraph cited a diplomat as saying ahead of an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, at which the date is expected to be confirmed.
