‘New chapters’ as Croatia joins euro and free-movement area – POLITICO

Croatia’s border crossing boom gates opened at midnight on Sunday as Croatia joined the European Free Movement Zone as it adopted the euro as its currency.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks with Croatian Prime Minister Andrei Prenkovic and Slovenian President Natascha Pirk Musar at the border crossing in the town of Bregana, declaring “two immeasurable achievements” praised.

“Nowhere in Europe is it more true than at the Croatian-Slovenian border that today is the season of new beginnings and new chapters,” von der Leyen said.

“Nothing will change after this,” Plenkovic said, referring to the benefits that free movement and monetary union would bring to Croatians.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the former Yugoslav Republic’s accession to the EU. Von der Leyen praised the efforts of the Croatian people and singled out Plenkovic for pushing the reforms necessary for his rapid rise to the EU’s currency club.

She said the euro “brings macroeconomic stability and credibility” at home and abroad.

“Our citizens and economy will be better protected from the crisis,” Plenkovic said.

But more than that, von der Leyen said the Euro coin stamped with the pine marten that gave its name to Croatia’s old currency, the kuna, represents “a bridge between your national identity and the destiny of Europe.” It is a symbol of a successful union.”

The adoption of the euro is the result of a long campaign to demonstrate that Croatia can comply with monetary zone requirements for economic management. Croatia’s Finance Minister Marco Primorak told POLITICO last week that he expected the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio to fall sharply over the next few years as the recovery from the pandemic continues.

Shortly after midnight, Primorac withdrew its first euro from an ATM in Croatia.

Accession to the Schengen Zone means the elimination of land and sea border checks with Croatia’s European neighbors. Airport checks from the other 26 countries participating in the scheme will end in March.

The collapse of these barriers to migration “is the final confirmation of the European identity that generations of Croats have fought and fought for,” said his Slovenian counterpart in Bregana at midnight on New Year’s Day. said Interior Minister Dabor Bozinovich, who opened the barrier with Sanja Ajanowicz Hobnik.

A party was organized by citizens at the border. Von der Leyen said people living near Slovenia and Hungary would see “tangible results” as they could move freely across the frontiers for work and shopping. “The community will be tighter,” she said.

The European Commission president also noted the responsibility joining the Schengen Agreement places on Croatia when immigration pressure is a matter of growing political tensions between bloc members.

“We need to work very closely together to protect the Schengen Agreement and preserve its benefits,” said von der Leyen. “With the Schengen Agreement, we rely on each other and know that we can trust you and Croatia.”

In a statement, Hovnik of Slovenia congratulated Croatia on taking a “historic” step, her country took just one year ago.

“It’s an event that we’ve been preparing for a long time on both sides of the border,” she said.