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INTERVIEW-Croatia sees possible security risk from Libya

Tue, 5 Apr 2011 13:22 GMT

Source: reuters // Reuters

* Cites presence of Muslim radicalism in war-time Bosnia

* Warns slowdown in EU talks could damage wider region

* Says Croatia moves on in EU-required judiciary reform

By Adam Tanner

DUBROVNIK, Croatia, April 5 (Reuters) - Croatia is watching developments in Libya and North Africa with concern about the possible impact on radical Muslims in neighbouring Bosnia, Croatia's president said on Tuesday.

"Definitely it is a security problem not only for them (North Africa) but for southern Europe on the whole," President Ivo Josipovic told Reuters in an interview.

"Especially we have a sensitive situation because we are neighbouring Bosnia with many Muslims, and we hope that this conflict, especially Libya, will not influence relations between different nationalities in Bosnia and neighbouring countries."

In Europe's worst fighting since World War Two, 100,000 people died in Bosnia between 1992 and 1995, as Orthodox Serbs, Bosniak Muslims and Catholic Croats fought.

Ethnic tensions remain high, keeping Bosnia lagging in its progress towards the European Union and deterring investment.

Josipovic, who has won praise for his efforts to reconcile formerly warring Balkan nations since taking office last year, said he feared "some kind of radicalisation".

"I hope that the conflict in Libya will not have negative effects in other regions: in Southeast Europe there are countries with majority or large groups of people who are Muslims by religion, but very pro-European. And they share -- we share -- the same culture, similar values," he said.

"There were some radicals in Bosnia, especially during the war in the 1990s, mostly imported from other countries and that is my only concern. I think the local Muslim population is self-conscious, understands and shares all European values and appreciates good cooperation with all their neighbours."

As for the radicals who went to Bosnia during the 1990s, he added: "Some of them are still there, some of them went from Bosnia."

Croatia's prime minister and some analysts say turmoil in North Africa could draw more tourists to visit Croatia, which boasts a long Adriatic coastline and historic towns dating back to antiquity. But Josipovic said it was not a good strategy to count on woes elsewhere to generate economic growth.

EU PROGRESS

Croatia's main foreign policy focus is completing talks to join the European Union, with a target date of June, a goal the president said was important to meet.

"Our citizens are waiting and waiting and when you postpone and postpone, it creates some kind of unhappiness that can influence even our referendum," Josipovic said.

"So it is very important to finish the negotiations as soon as possible, especially because we are convinced that we are mostly fulfilling the necessary requirements."

The accession talks started in 2005. The final phase involves judicial reform and the fight against corruption and organised crime, with Brussels demanding more practical action.

"We improved the independence of the judiciary... The changes are visible," Josipovic said.

Croatia should hold a general election soon after completing the talks and a referendum shortly afterwards on whether to join the EU, he said. Elections are due by early 2012 at the latest.

"What is very important is to have elections before the referendum and not to project attachment to one or another party on the referendum... A new cabinet has to prepare a referendum without political fights," he told Reuters.

A further delay in the talks could make it harder to win a referendum.

"I am optimistic that most of our citizens will support EU entry, but dissatisfaction can demotivate people in favour of the EU to really put their ballot in the box," he said.

"A failure of the referendum will be a disaster not only for Croatia but for the EU as well because Croatia is somehow a measure of European success in this region," the president said. (Reporting by Adam Tanner, edited by Igor Ilic and ***