Mutual trust is required because Europe must stay open, balance between mobility and security must be established, and Romania and Bulgaria should be admitted right away, with Croatia to follow as soon as it meets the technical criteria, Avramopoulos said.

Although Romania and Bulgaria had joined the EU in 2007, and Croatia in 2013, the three countries are still not part of the European Union’s border-free Schengen area. Along with Cyprus, which joined the bloc in 2004, they are all legally bound to join the area by the terms of their EU accession treaty.

The Dubrovnik conference was organised by Croatian MEP, Tonino Picula, as part of Croatia’s preparations to join the EU’s Schengen area without border controls.

Picula said that due to its geopolitical position Croatia had to contribute to EU’s security and that it belonged in the Schengen area.

“That would make our EU membership complete and enable us to make the most of it. This is a time of extreme pressure on the Schengen area, and due to incoming migration and terrorism many are questioning if the area can be maintained at all. Croatia must meet the technical standards, as well as politically convince the European Council that it should be admitted as soon as possible,” said Picula.

“We have to meet 96 recommendations by the end of this European Commission’s term (in 2019) because its President (Jean-Claude) Juncker has stated clearly that Croatia should be admitted as soon as it meets the technical criteria. It will also be necessary to convince those who have political or even bilateral reservations to our accession, however, this must not be a bilateral issue, but a joint European decision,” said Picula.

Follow N1 via mobile apps for Android | iPhone/iPad | Windows| and social media on Twitter | Facebook.