Croatia will join the European Union on July 1, 2013, according to an agreement signed in Brussels on Friday, RIA Novosti reports.
The document was signed by President of the European Council Herman von Rompuy, President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek, as well as high-ranking officials of 27 EU states. Croatian President Ivo Josipovic and Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor signed the document.
Barroso noted that the European Commission will monitor Zagreb’s fulfillment of obligations.
27 EU members are yet to ratify the document in order for Croatia to become a member of the Union. Zagreb made sufficient achievements in European integration and received the membership project document on September 17. Croatia has been negotiating membership for 6 years. Any state willing to join the EU needs to fulfil 35 points, including harmonization with all EU norms and realization of reforms.
