Croatian President Ivo Josipovic said he hoped that after the election in Serbia, the two countries would continue their policy of good-neighborliness, and reaffirmed Croatia's support to Serbia's EU integration.

"It is true our relations are headed down a good path, and that President Tadic and I have, in a way, built a partnership. We expect there will be no going back to the 1990s, and think we need to continue with good-neighborliness and the policy which will, if the circumstances allow, efficiently resolve the remaining open issues between us," Josipovic said.

In an interview for Radio Television of Serbia, shot before the May 6 elections and broadcast on Thursday, Josipovic said Serbia needed "a modern, pro-European government which will successfully guide it though the accession talks."

Talking about his good relationship with Tadic, Josipovic said political leaders should guide their countries and people down the path they considered the right one, which was the path of reconciliation, building good-neighborly relations and stability in the region.

He acknowledged problems still persisted when it came to the issue to refugees and IDPs, but stressed that enabling these people to go back home was not a political or security issue, but mostly an economic one.

Some returnees, both Serbs and Croats, live in unspeakably harsh conditions, and we need to give both those who want to return and those who want to stay in their new homes a chance for a normal life, said the Croatian president.

Naturally, their property must remain theirs and at their disposal, and they must be fully protected by the law, said Josipovic.

"One of the things we will do as an EU member country is support our neighbors. You can be sure that Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and all neighboring countries will have our political support when it comes to EU accession, and if they want it, our technical assistance as well," he said.