Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-02-10-Speech-3-019"
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"en.20100210.8.3-019"2
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"Mr President, we have clear expectations of the Council and the Commission. We expect negotiations with Croatia to be completed and negotiations with Macedonia to be started this year. This includes recognising that the policy on minority groups in these two countries is better than in many Member States of the European Union and that all the minorities and ethnic groups in both countries are represented in their governments. Mr Füle, the question of the return of the refugees, if you will pardon my saying so, has been handled by Croatia in a way which could serve as a model for other states. Therefore, I would like to say quite clearly that we should, of course, explain to these countries that they still need to make an effort. However, saying that the ball is solely in Croatia’s court is totally unacceptable. Croatia has ratified the border agreement and I would like to join with Mr Swoboda in calling on the Slovenian Parliament to do the same thing. Three negotiating chapters remain to be opened by the Council. I would like to call on the Spanish representative of the Council of Ministers to ensure that they are opened during the Spanish Presidency. This will allow Croatia, if it is treated fairly, to complete the negotiations this year.
As far as the appalling blockade of Macedonia on account of the name issue is concerned, in this case, the ball is not solely in Macedonia’s court either. Instead, the responsibility lies with an EU Member State which has set up a blockade that runs contrary to international law. I would like to make it clear at this point that the EU must behave in a credible way, in other words, we must demand things from others, but we must also live up to our own standards, otherwise we will lose all credibility. I feel that it is important for us to work towards voting on Croatia this year in this Parliament, after following a long and difficult path. Then the observers can come here, in the same way that the Czech, Slovenian and Hungarian observers came and were welcomed by us. I hope that European elections can take place in Croatia either next year or the year after and that Croatian Members will join us here in Parliament and help to prepare for the accession of other southern European states, with Macedonia being the first in line."@en1
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