“Our application to join the European Union must not become a contest of political rivalry. It concerns the common good and our future, in particular the future of our children and young people”. So said Archbishop Josip Bozanic of Zagreb, in an interview published in recent days by the Croat daily “Vecernji list” and disseminated by the Catholic press agency IKA. Croatia could enter the Union as early as 2007, together with Bulgaria and Romania, without having to wait for the other Balkan countries, as hitherto envisaged. According to Bozanic, domestic political issues could influence Croatia’s application to join Europe: “Good results depend mainly on ourselves, on our unity and on our common position. The best recommendations are unity and a clearly presentable common position”, said the archbishop, pointing out that “at times one has the impression that something in Croatia is being exploited, including national interests”. “ In Croatia he emphasized there’s an urgent need to define the general national good, which must be protected and supported by all the parliamentary parties and must not become a political football exploited for their own ends by individual leaders”. In his view it seems that in Croatia there’s still a lack of knowledge of what is being asked of the country and what are its tasks vis-à-vis Europe. “It may undoubtedly be concluded says Bozanovic that the general attitude among people is widely pro-European. The alternative is being sidelined with the so-called western Balkans and left behind”. Recently Archbishop Bozanic also met the president of the European Commission Romano Prodi, who said he was favourable to Croatia’s application to enter the EU.
