EU members divided over finalising accession talks with Croatia

EU members remained divided over wrapping up accession talks with Croatia during a working dinner of the foreign ministers Monday (May 23rd). Hungary, Austria and Italy pushed to finalise negotiations by the end of June, while France insisted that a monitoring mechanism for anti-corruption reforms should be implemented until Croatia joins. According to media reports, the UK and the Netherlands voiced reservations about any hasty closure of the judiciary negotiation chapter, recommending the Union wait for the report on war crimes co-operation that Serge Brammertz, chief prosecutor of The Hague tribunal, will present next month.