Croatia's Prime Minister briefs MEPs ahead of a vote on her country's accession. For Croatia, the countdown to full EU membership is well under way.

Croatia: next stop Europe?

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Croatia’s Prime Minister arrives  at the EP to brief political groups

before a crucial vote  on her country’s EU accession.

Most think negotiations  can be completed soon,

making membership possible  in 2013 or 2014.

Croatia’s neighbours are enthusiastic.

As a Slovenian I wish Croatia will become  an EU member as soon as possible.

It’s premature to talk about dates,  it depends on Croatia.

It still has six chapters to close,  among them a few very difficult ones.

Problems remain  over competition policy –

shipyard workers fear  privatisation will cost them their jobs.

an ex-PM awaits extradition from Austria  and that may be just the tip of the iceberg.

If you go for the top, then  you’re fighting it down to the roots.

Sometimes when you’re only  working on the roots you miss the top.

But in this case they’ve shown  that no-one is going free!

Despite judicial reform,  court proceedings can still take years

and there are claims of unequal treatment  of war crimes allegations.

Some in Croatia remain sceptical but the  government is sure enthusiasm will grow.

after a really comprehensive  reform process,

joining the EU is really achieving  one of the key foreign policy objectives

but also one of our  key development objectives.

Negotiations should be finished in time for  an agreement at the June EU Summit –

one day before the 20th anniversary  of Croatian independence.