Croatia has not changed its opinion about the EU

Croatia is joining the European Union in the second semester

Ten years after it applied for membership, Croatia will be the second Balkan country (apart from Slovenia) and the 28^th member to join the European club 1 July 2013. Neither rifts within the EU nor the crisis of the Euro have swerved the Croats from their path towards Brussels. In January last year, 66.27% of the voters at the referendum said yesrdquo to the European family. For the past four years Croatian economy has been experiencing recession and in 2012 the deficit reached 3.5% of GDP, more than the stipulated 3%.

The EU is going through one of the worst crises in history. Why does Croatia still want to become a member of the European club?

Despite the recent crisis, Croatia has not changed its opinion about the EU, which is still the most economically developed community in the world and politically the richest space. It is a market of more than 500 million people, and represents an opportunity as well as challenge for Croatian entrepreneurs, exporters and the country itself.

1 JULYrdquo (printed in block orange letters in the center of the text)

What are the governmentrsquos main challenges within the EU?

Croatia expects a stable environment conducive to foreign investment, as well as access to the same possibilities and conditions. Our main goal is to improve and consolidate the state institutions, as well as their administrative capacities.

As a Balkan country, is joining the EU a way for Croatia to distance itself from the problems in the region?

Joining the EU does not mean abandoning the region. Quite the contrary, we want to assist out neighbours in their process of EU integration. We are aware that our stability depends on the stability of the region. History taught us that the biggest threat comes from weak, unstable and failed countries. In a country where during the last 150 years institutions lasted shorter that the average human life, many generations of people lived unsure about their childrenrsquos future.

What are the benefits of accession?

The accession should not be measured only by material wealth, although it is true Croatia is hopeful that joining the EU will jumpstart foreign and domestic investments, reduce unemployment, increase export and provide access to European funds. In the second half of 2013, approximately euro600 million will be made available for us, and in the 2014-2020 financial period as much as 13.7 billion. (P. D.)

We are aware that our stability depends on the stability of the region [the Balkans].rdquo (printed in larger orange font)