Zagreb: The obstacles in Trkiye's accession to the European Union (EU) are largely attributed to certain prejudices, particularly concerning religion, and some states' fear of a potential 'new strong member,' as articulated by Croatia's former President Ivo Josipovic. 'It is a curiosity that Croatia and Trkiye started negotiations to become EU members on the same day,' Josipovic remarked to Anadolu. According to Anadolu Agency, Trkiye applied for EU membership in 1987 and has been recognized as a candidate country since 1999. It began membership negotiations in 2005, concurrently with Croatia, which has since been admitted to the bloc and became its 28th member in July 2013. However, Ankara's negotiations have reached an impasse since 2007 due to the Cyprus problem and opposition from several EU member states. Josipovic emphasized that the reasons for Trkiye's stalled membership are complex. 'The reason why Trkiye is not a member of EU is different. There are some objections about fulfillment of requirement s, but I think more important are some prejudices about Trkiye, especially connected to religion,' he asserted. 'It is completely wrong, and should not be the reason to put aside candidature of Trkiye.' Another factor, according to Josipovic, is the apprehension among some countries about the inclusion of a 'new strong member.' He stated, 'That can also be the reason. So, if I am asked … I think it will be valuable to do everything to make Trkiye a member of the EU.' Josipovic also pointed to the situation of North Macedonia, criticizing the EU for what he described as an 'unjust approach.' 'They (North Macedonia) really did everything what they were asked to do, but that did not result in their membership to the EU,' he explained. 'That is not good. That shows that European states do not have the same approach to this process of integration of new countries to the EU. In my opinion, Europe is not complete without other countries, including Trkiye.' The former president lauded Trkiye's involvement in regi onal affairs in the Balkans, highlighting its 'positive role' in easing regional conflicts. 'Ankara has a positive role in the Balkans, especially to cool down conflict between people of different nationalities in that region,' he noted. Trkiye's contribution to regional stability is significant, although major issues like Serbia-Kosovo tensions require intervention by larger powers and mutual consensus, he suggested. Josipovic touched upon the bilateral ties between Croatia and Trkiye, highlighting their positive relations in economic and defense sectors. 'We have relatively good economic relations. We have investors from Trkiye, especially in tourism … There are also many people from Croatia, mostly mid-business, engaged here in Trkiye,' he shared. In defense, the two nations cooperate as NATO members and have trade and practical collaborations. 'I think we have very good relations … Definitely there is enough space to widen our economic cooperation and also cultural cooperation … It is very important to s hare our cultures and to be informed more about each other,' he concluded.