Swoboda: Relations with EU Depend on 'Heir'

PM Sanader built confidence with his European colleagues which his heir yet has to do, Hannes Swoboda said and offered his assistance.

ZAGREB, CROATIA – I was surprised just like every citizen of Croatia and the European Union, Hannes Swoboda, the European parliament’s rapporteur for Croatia, commented on Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader’s sudden resignation, adding that whoever succeeds Sanader will have big shoes to fill. 

Changes in relations with the EU depend on the successor: Sanader made possible negotiations with the European Union and it will not be easy to build on that, but the EU will try to help the successor as much as possible.

Hannes Swoboda

Swoboda thinks that Sanader has gained valuable trust in Croatia with leading Europeans and that his heir needs to continue to build on that trust as much as possible.

His heir will have to regain and establish good relations with Slovenian Prime Minister Pahor in a bid to resolve the border dispute. Changes in relations with the EU depend on the successor: Sanader made possible negotiations with the European Union and it will not be easy to build on that, but the EU will try to help the successor as much as possible, Swoboda said, offering his assistance to Sanader’s possible heir, Vice-Premier Jadranka Kosor.

Swoboda did not comment on the reasons for Sanader’s resignation.