REHN: 2009 TO BECOME YEAR OF EU MEMBERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOUTHEASTERN EUROPEAN STATES

BRUSSELS, Belgium (October 21,2008) - Olli Rehn: The year 2009 is going to become the year of EU membership opportunities for all southeastern European states, according to Olli Rehn, Member of the European Commission (EC), responsible for EU enlargement.

The fact that the Lisbon Treaty failed to become effective was not going to become an obstacle for the EU to accept new countries, Rehn believes.

He further said that it was most likely that negotiations about the membership of Croatia, which began in 2005, would conclude in 2009, adding that Croatia was going to be approved as member after it fulfils all criteria and that Zagreb still had a lot to do in reforming the country's legal system and in the fight against corruption and organized crime.

The EC also expects positive results from the negotiations with Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia.
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