Today, July 1, 2024, Croatia marks the 11th anniversary of its membership in the European Union, thus beginning its second decade in the large European family. Last year, in the year we celebrated the round anniversary of membership, we also joined the eurozone and the Schengen area, thus fully completing our European path.
In the second decade of our membership, a new legislative and institutional cycle begins, which will be marked by some new as well as some old challenges. These challenges are addressed in the EU Strategic Agenda 2024-2029, which was adopted by the European Council last week and which outlined the political priorities for the coming period.
In the upcoming period, as a EU member state, we will continue to support European values and advocate for all goals and policies that contribute to achieving Croatia's interests within the EU. These include further strengthening the unity and role of the EU in the global world; enhancing the security, resilience, and global competitiveness of the EU while supporting balanced economic progress and development, implementing a fair and inclusive green and digital transition, and building a more competitive and cohesive society.
Acting as a member of the European Union, we also do not forget our neighbours and the fact that EU enlargement policy has so far proven to be the strongest guarantor of regional stability and a stimulus for the comprehensive transformation of societies in these countries. For Croatia, a clear and unequivocal support for further EU enlargement remains a priority, based on merits and the fulfilment of the necessary criteria, along with the necessary preparation of candidate countries. In particular, we continue to advocate for the European path of Bosnia and Herzegovina and provide support to BiH on that path.
At the same time, Croatia, painfully aware of its war path towards achieving freedom and European integration, remains fully committed to providing comprehensive, long-term, and sustainable support to Ukraine.
Croatia celebrates this day, determined to continue its European path as before, ambitiously and dedicatedly, determined to continue building a more competitive, safer, and more advanced society through its EU membership, primarily for the benefit of its citizens.
To mark the 11th anniversary of membership, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs has organized the European Film Festival, which will run from July 3 to 27, 2024. The European Film Festival will take place at three locations - the Tuškanac Summer Stage, Metropolis MSU Cinema, and Sesvete Cinema - where visitors can watch 31 film titles for free through 40 screenings.
The Europremiere program will be held at the Metropolis Cinema from July 3 to 27, and from July 10 to 16, it will move to the Tuškanac Summer Stage, where seven films will be screened starting at 9:30 p.m., with a special focus on French cinema.
The program at the Tuškanac Summer Stage will open with the Croatian short film "The Man Who Couldn't Stay Silent," winner of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
The Panorama of Croatian Film brings the best domestic titles of the past film season and will be held from July 11 to 23 at the Metropolis MSU Cinema. The Junior program, which includes animated titles and Croatian minority co-productions for young people, will be held from July 11 to 20 at the Sesvete Cinema.
The schedule for the European Film Festival is available on the websites
http://www.festivaleuropskogfilma.eu,
http://www.reuf.eu, on the Facebook page of the European Film Festival, and on Instagram at
http://www.instagram.com/festivaleuropskogfilma.
Free tickets for screenings at the Tuškanac Summer Stage can be picked up at the Summer Stage box office on the day of the screening from 8 p.m. Entry to all screenings at Metropolis Cinema and Sesvete Cinema is free, but the number of seats is limited, so we invite viewers to take their places on time. In case of rain, screenings at the Tuškanac Summer Stage will not be held, and announcements will be posted on the festival's Facebook page. Metropolis Cinema will replay the entire program from July 24 to 27.
The 13th European Film Festival is realized with the support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, the City of Zagreb, HAVC, EUNIC, and the embassies of European countries in Croatia, produced by the Artistic Organization Metropolis. The European Film Festival is the successor to the European Film Days, held in 2012 and 2013 at the Metropolis MSU Cinema, and the European Film Review, held from 2014 to 2022 at the Tuškanac Summer Stage and Metropolis MSU Cinema.
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