EU pointman confident of Croatian 'yes' at referendum

(ZAGREB) - The head of the European Union delegation in Zagreb said Thursday that he was confident Croatians would back their country's membership in the bloc in a referendum this month.

"I'm confident that Croatian citizens will cast their vote to support" the country's EU membership in the January 22 referendum, Paul Vandoren told journalists.

"Croatia has demonstrated that it met the strict conditions of the enlargement process.

"Therefore it could join EU as 28th member on July 1, 2013, provided that the 'yes' prevails (in the) referendum here in Croatia in ten days time and of course provided that the ratification process in 27 member states goes smoothly," he added.

The former Yugoslav republic, independent since 1991, signed the EU accession treaty in December, paving the way for it to formally become the bloc's newest member in mid-2013.

The treaty has to be ratified by all 27 member states.

The latest survey, released earlier this month, showed that 60 percent Croatians would definitely take part in the referendum. Among them almost 58 percent back EU membership while 23 percent oppose it, the survey showed.

An anti-EU gathering, organised by an umbrella group of opponents of membership, was announced for Saturday in the capital Zagreb.

After Slovenia in 2004, Croatia should become the second of the six republics that made up the former Yugoslavia to join the bloc.