Brussels, 08/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - European Council President Herman Van Rompuy has expressed his support for the positive recommendation the Commission is preparing to announce on Friday 10 June on concluding accession negotiations with Croatia before the end of the month. It will then be up to the member states to decide - a unanimous verdict is required - if they want to go with the Commission opinion and close the talks or not. Croatia is “on good track to complete its accession talks in the nearest possible future”, Van Rompuy told press following a meeting with Croatian President Ivo Josipovic in Brussels on Wednesday 8 June. He went on to say he was “reasonably confident that this week will bring good news”. He was alluding to the announcement made by José Manuel Barroso in Strasbourg on 7 June that the Commission was about to put a proposal to member states that the last four chapters under negotiation (budget, competition, judiciary and fundamental rights, and other issues) should be closed and that a target date of 1 July 2013 be set for Croatia's joining the EU (see EUROPE 10393). “You are almost there”, Van Rompuy told the Croatian president. “Croatia, its citizens and its government worked very hard to get to this stage”, he said, adding a note of caution that work will not stop with the signing of the act of accession. “President Josipovic assured me that Croatia will continue to work hard on all of its commitments. Strengthening the track record on the rule of law, justice reform, the fight against corruption, and the prosecution of war crimes are going to be important points of reference for the 27 member states” he indicated. Van Rompuy also expressed the view that Croatia's accession “will reinforce the European perspective of the whole region” and “will be a positive and tangible incentive” for the other applicant countries and potential applicants from the Balkans. President Josipovic reiterated that, even after the conclusion of negotiations, his country would continue with its reforms, even in the most sensitive areas. “Our reforms in fighting corruption and in justice are irreversible”, he stated. (H.B./transl.rt)