In response to the report presented by Alexandros Baltas, containing a draft recommendation of the Parliament to the European Council on Croatia’s membership of the EU, MEPs have recognized the country’s “European vocation”, but are of the view that it must first resolve a series of questions relating to the return of refugees as part of the Dayton accords, cooperation with the International Penal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (TPIY) and relations with neighbouring countries. As regards this latter point, the report asks that Croatia should adopt an attitude of compromise and dialogue in pursuing a project relating to the creation of an ecological zone for the protection of fishing in the Adriatic, unilaterally adopted by the Croatian Parliament in October 2003 without consulting either Italy or Slovenia. This exclusive economic zone has aroused sharp tensions with the two countries, compounded by other unresolved questions such as the return of the expropriated property of Italian exiles, the treatment of Italian minorities and the definition of the maritime frontier with Slovenia.
