Brussels,16/03/2005
Following the decision of the Council to postpone the opening of negotiations ETUC General Secretary John Monks said:
“I am sorry that Croatia has not met the requirement of full and unrestricted co-operation with the the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY)and hope that this will be remedied soon. The fact that the proceedings on the negotiating framework have been concluded successfully shows that Croatia is in other respects ready to engage in the negotiations.
“Integrating Croatia would mark the first step towards bringing to a close a painful chapter in Europe's history -the war in and break-up of the former Yugoslavia. It would also send out a strong signal to Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia-Montenegro, fledgling democracies aspiring to EU membership.
“The ETUC-affiliated Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia is playing a full and positive part in the work of the European trade union movement and we will continue to work together with a view to ensuring that the European Social Model takes root fully in Croatia."