Croatia can expect good news on Friday regarding the completion of its EU entry talks, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in Strasbourg on Tuesday.

At today's meeting of the commissioners we discussed Croatia and I believe that we are now close to completing the talks with that country, at least as far as the EC is concerned. We are facing a crucial moment on Croatia's long membership road and I believe that there will be good news in that regard on Friday, Barroso said after the EC session in Strasbourg.

On Friday, the EC is expected to submit to the Council of the EU draft negotiating positions for the policy areas in Croatia's EU entry talks that remain to be closed - Competition Policy, Judiciary and Fundamental Rights, Finance and Budgetary Provisions, and Other Issues.

According to diplomatic sources, in those documents, which are expected to be adopted by the member countries, the EC will propose that Croatia become an EU member on 1 July 2013.

Croatian authorities, notably the current government, have worked very hard to meet the set conditions and I am confident that they will be rewarded for their hard work very soon. As for the EC, it has conducted the talks with Croatia on the basis of strict conditions, but always in good faith and in a fair manner. I also believe that Croatia's admission, once it happens, will be good news for the people of Croatia, for the EU as well as for all other peoples in the region, Barroso said.

Some news agencies said that Barroso could visit Zagreb on Friday to bring the good news himself, but EC officials ruled out such a possibility due to his previously scheduled duties.

Diplomatic sources have said that Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele told his fellow commissioners today that Croatia had met all conditions for the closing of the remaining four policy areas and that they could be closed.

Officials of the Hungarian EU Presidency have said that they will do their best to make it possible for Croatia to complete its EU talks before Hungary's EU chairmanship ends on June 30.