This year’s Europe Day has a special significance for Croatia as it coincides with our 10th EU membership anniversary. In these last 10 years, our citizens have had the opportunity to feel the benefits of joining the EU. One of the more visible examples is the construction of the Pelješac Bridge, alongside a number of other projects improving the quality of life and offering opportunities for growth and development.
This year we simultaneously joined the eurozone and the Schengen Area, solidifying our position at the very core of the EU. We are the only member state that has achieved these things on the same day.
Europe Day is a day of peace and unity, yet for the second year in a row we are marking it in the shadow of the horrific aggression against Ukraine. So, we would like to reiterate to our Ukrainian friends that we will continue to support them for as long as necessary. We firmly believe that that is the right thing to do.
In a time of numerous global challenges – security, economic, climate, demographic – the world is undergoing significant changes. In light of that, the EU is trying to strengthen its position, maintain the highest living standards and offer new solutions, which Croatia is also contributing to. This can only be achieved by preserving unity, based on shared values and solidarity among the member states, as well as by additional development of our single market.
Anniversaries are also an opportunity to reflect on what we have achieved so far precisely because we were united and determined, in good and bad times alike. We continue to build the EU together so that in the future it would be more resilient, competitive, ready to respond to all challenges, successful in implementing the green and digital transition, and have a stronger global role.
The EU is primarily made of its citizens, who carry its strength and contribute to its development, and who share the vision and values by which we live our daily lives. It has to remain a project of peace, democracy and the rule of law, a direction we will continue to support.
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