Tánaiste meets Croatian Deputy Prime Minister, formal ratification of the Croatian Accession Treaty

The Tánaiste met today with Mr. Neven Mimica, the Deputy Prime Minister for Home, Foreign, and European Affairs of Croatia, at Iveagh House for discussions, including on bilateral relations, Croatia’s progress towards accession, an exchange of views on the situation in South East Europe, and the EU enlargement agenda.

The Tánaiste took the opportunity to announce that Ireland has completed its domestic procedures for the ratification of Croatia’s accession to the European Union.

“I am delighted to be able to inform the Deputy Prime Minister that today President Higgins signed the Instrument of Ratification for the Croatian Accession Treaty. The Instrument will be deposited in Rome shortly, thus completing Ireland’s ratification procedures for Croatia’s accession to the European Union.

We greatly look forward to welcoming Croatia as the EU’s 28th Member State on 1 July 2013, and to a productive working relationship within the EU.

I want to pay tribute to Croatia’s implementation of the challenging reforms required for EU accession. Croatia is a beacon for the other countries of the Western Balkans in realising their EU perspective.

Ireland and Croatia have a warm friendship built on a shared understanding from the hardships of the past. We have much to offer each other, in terms of our fruitful bilateral relationship and in our roles as members of the European Union.”

Note for Editors:

Croatia became a candidate for EU accession during Ireland’s last Presidency in 2004. The country is due to join the EU on 1 July 2013, immediately following Ireland’s forthcoming Presidency of the European Council. Croatia currently has the status of an acceding country with active observer status in the European Institutions, the purpose of which is to allow Croatia to become familiar with the working methods of the EU institutions and to be involved in the decision-making process.

Following his meeting with the Tánaiste, the Deputy Prime Minister will give the annual Ante Čičin-Šain Lecture at Central Bank of Ireland.  The Ante Čičin-Šain lectures are held annually, alternatively in Zagreb and Dublin, and are named after the first governor of the Croatian National Bank and first Croatian Ambassador to Ireland. They are organised by the Irish-Croatian Business Association in co-operation with the Central Bank of Ireland.