(ZAGREB) - Croatian parliament gave up full implementation of a controversial Adriatic Sea environmental and fishing zone, strongly opposed by Brussels, the HINA news agency reported Thursday.

"The decision will remain in force until an agreement is reached in the European spirit. Croatia and EU members will work jointly to protect the Adriatic sea," said the motion adopted in the early hours of Thursday.

The motion was backed by 77 deputies in the 153-seat parliament. Nine deputies voted against, including the Croatian Peasants' Party, a partner in the ruling coalition led by conservative Croatian Democratic Union.

Prime Minister Ivo Sanader urged lawmakers late Wednesday to vote on exempting the EU countries from the fishing zone, arguing it did not mean giving up the zone for good since talks on the issue between Croatia and Brussels would continue.

Such a decision would increase the country's chances to move faster in its EU membership talks, which started in 2005, he said.

The 23,800-kilometre (9,520-mile) zone was created in 2003. It was aimed at protecting fishing stocks which Croatia claims are being depleted by Italy's larger fleet.

As it sought EU candidacy in 2004, Croatia had agreed to allow exemptions for EU countries -- notably its Adriatic neighbors Italy and Slovenia -- until a fishing accord was finalised with Brussels.

Zagreb enforced the zone on January 1 despite repeated EU warnings that doing so would have negative consequences on its ambitions to join the 27-nation bloc.

Croatia hopes to join the EU by the end of decade.

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