Vienna – On Wednesday the National Council of Austria ratified Croatia’s Accession Treaty to the European Union. Deputy Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Mr Josip Leko attended the parliamentary debate and voting process.
Representatives of almost all the parliamentary parties supported the Treaty in the debate, referring to Croatia as a “historical and political part of Europe that has completed all the requirements for EU accession”. 152 out of 159 MPs voted in favour of the ratification.
“I wish to extend my congratulations to Croatia on the ratification of the Treaty and I welcome Croatia as the future 28th member of the European Union”, said Mr Michael Spindelegger, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs in the speech he delivered before the Austrian MPs. He urged Croatia not to forget to fulfil the last remarks of the European Commission stated in the monitoring report presented in April.
The Federal Council, upper house of the Parliament of Austria, is expected to ratify the Treaty on Friday and the Austrian President Mr Hainz Fischer should sign it next week.
Performing the functions of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, during his official visit to Vienna, Mr Leko met with the Chancellor of Austria Mr Werner Faymann and the President of the National Council Ms Barbara Prammer. Mr Leko thanked Austria for the support it had been giving Croatia during the access negotiations and Ms Prammer confirmed Austria’s wish to continue supporting Croatia on the “last section of the road towards the European Union”.
Austria is the eleventh state of the EU to have ratified Croatia’s Accession Treaty.