(ZAGREB) - Croatia is pulling out all stops to quell a slew of mafia style attacks in the capital Zagreb to allay fears that a crime wave could hamper its bid to join the European Union, analysts said Tuesday.

Prime Minister Ivo Sanader on Monday said he was sacking his interior and justice ministers, plus the head of the national police, after another suspected mafia killing in the heart of the capital Zagreb.

"The move of the prime minister is very good...and is helping to strenghten democracy in Croatia," political analyst Davor Gjenero told AFP.

Monday's killing was just the latest in a wave of brutal attacks in Zagreb since June. A journalist and two businessmen were targeted in three previous assaults, which police have described as attempted murders.

"It can be explained in the light of his concern about entering the EU," the prime minister said, adding that "Europe's problems with Bulgaria and Romania have already led to tougher requirements in the negotiating process with Croatia."

The European Commission confirmed in July it had frozen some 800 million euros of European funds for newcomer Bulgaria as it had not taken enough steps to fight "corruption at high levels and organised crime."

Croatia is hoping to become the bloc's 28th member by the end of the decade.

The former Yugoslav republic has to reform notably its judiciary and public administration.

"It is clear that EU will not tolerate a situation similar to that in Bulgaria, with serious disfunctioning in the judiciary and fight against organized crime," said a diplomatic source on condition of anonymity.

"Without strong measures, and notably without concrete results, Zagreb risks to see the pace of the negotiations slowing down," the diplomat added.

The sackings followed the murder on Monday morning of Ivana Hodak, 26, the daughter of prominent lawyer Zvonimir Hodak, who was shot dead in the stairwell of her building in central Zagreb, not far from police headquarters.

Her father was lawyer for former Croat general Vladimir Zagorec, who was recently extradited from Austria on charges of embezzling more than five million dollars (3.25 million euros).

"We can expect that after mobsters have spit publicly in its face and humiliated it the government will finally make a move that would restore its credibility," said a commentary in Jutarnji List daily newspaper.

"That means a frontal, merciless war against the mafia," it said.

The paper was echoing strong statements made by national leaders.

"We are not going to give organised crime the idea that they can do what they want with impunity. We are committed to an unrelenting struggle against organised crime, against the mafia," Sanader said announcing the sackings.

Analyst Gjenero stressed that all three candidates were top experts in their field and are not from within ranks of the ruling conservatives and notably singled out former deputy foreign minister and ambassador to the United Nations Ivan Simovic.

"We can really expect to see a strong pressure on the Europisation of the judiciary from him," he said.

Sanader said he would be proposing Tomislav Karamarko for the post of interior minister. Karamarko currently coordinates the activities of the intelligence and counter-espionage services.

Vladimir Faber, currently a senior interior ministry official, was to take command of the police nationally.

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