Croatia signs EU accession treaty

09.12.2011 [19:25]
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Baku, December 9 (AZERTAC). Croatia on Friday signed a treaty to join the European Union in 2013, a bittersweet milestone as the bloc prepares to take on board a sluggish economy it will have to drag along at the time of its worse crisis ever.

The signing came following a marathon all-night session at an emergency summit at which most EU leaders decided to back a new treaty with strict oversight over national budgets, trying to convince markets that the euro has a future.

EU president Herman Van Rompuy said Croatia will be an "active observer" in all EU forums until it becomes a full member 18 months from now. Its membership must still be ratified by the legislatures of the bloc’s 27 member nations.

Croatia will become the second nation from the former Yugoslavia to join the EU after Slovenia, which became a member in 2004. All other countries that emerged from the Yugoslav federation - Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, as well as neighboring Albania - are also seeking membership.

Meanwhile, van Rompuy said EU leaders had decided to postpone making Serbia a candidate for the bloc until their next summit.

Croatia signs EU accession treaty

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