About: Croatia
State of play in eurozone enlargement
The euro has existed for over 20 years, but many EU member states still have not joined the eurozone. While Bulgaria and Croatia could soon, other member states remain hesitant, mainly for economic and political reasons.
The long decline: mass migration batters Balkans
Abandoned shops and mostly empty streets offer few signs of life in North Macedonia's Valandovo, where young people are fleeing in large numbers hoping to find a better life abroad.
EU ministers narrowly find common ground on enlargement promises to Western Balkans
European Union governments reaffirmed on Tuesday (14 December) their promise to allow six Balkan countries to one day join the bloc following heated disagreements during negotiations. A year ago, EU governments were unable to agree upon a statement that was...
Pitched ‘bottle’: the prosecco v. prošek controversy
The prosecco v. prošek issue is not just another ordinary controversy over wine branding as it could have a major impact on the EU’s geographical indications (GIs) framework currently under revision.
Croatia can join border-free Schengen area, EU governments say
European Union governments agreed on Thursday (9 December) for Croatia to join the bloc's passport-free Schengen travel area after Zagreb convinced Brussels that it was able to effectively manage its section of the bloc's external borders.
Croatia slammed by Council of Europe anti-torture committee over migrants
Council of Europe's Committee for the prevention of torture (CPT) published a report on Friday (3 December) detailing Croatian police border violence against migrants crossing from Bosnia, following Zagreb's attempts to block the body's work.
EU home affairs chief praises Croatia’s handling of border violence scandal
EU Commission home affairs chief Ylva Johansson has welcomed Croatia's handling of media revelations showing border officers beating migrants despite NGO reports of continuing violence at the border with Bosnia.
Croatians protest against tightened COVID measures
Hundreds of Croatians protested on Thursday (11 November) for the fourth day in Zagreb and other cities against obligatory certificates for the public sector as the country's Covid-19 cases hit a record high.
Croatia’s ruling conservatives face smooth ride, with scattered opposition
Fifteen months into his second mandate, Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and his conservative HDZ find themselves in a singularly comfortable position: The fragmented political opposition has sunk to historic lows and is unable to mount any serious challenge.
‘EU can play dumb as long as it wants’ on Croatian border violence
Several officials on the ground, as well as first-hand testimonies given to EURACTIV by migrants, have detailed signs of systematic illegal border violence and pushbacks by Croatian police against people attempting to cross over from Bosnia. EURACTIV travelled to the...
EU Commission urges probe after report on migrant pushbacks in Greece, Croatia
The European Union's executive called for an investigation into illegal migrant pushbacks after a report by German media outlets Der Spiegel and ARD documented what they said were Greek, Croatian and Romanian officials carrying out such operations.
Journalistic investigation exposes violent pushbacks at EU borders
Migrants are suffering sometimes-violent illegal pushbacks carried out by special police units at the EU's borders, especially Greece and Croatia, an investigation published Wednesday (6 October) by media including Germany's Der Spiegel found.
Serbia fumes over Croatia’s plan to put Tesla on euro coins
Croatia's plan to put famous inventor Nikola Tesla on its euro coins has sparked criticism in Serbia, whose central bank said Monday (26 July) it would take the issue to the EU.
Political scientists say EU has lost the battle for the Balkans
The EU has lost the battle for the Balkans, where Russia and China are offering bonuses without asking for reforms, geopolitical experts told an online conference organised by EURACTIV.bg this week, proposing increased cooperation and a Balkan common market as the best way forward.
How innovative EU-funded projects prepared us for lockdown challenges
Often described as cumbersome and hard to access, European regional funds, which are designed to decrease disparities between Europe’s regions, are actually at the forefront of funding innovative projects, often able to financially support ideas from which the traditional markets...
Washington voices support for Western Balkans’ EU path after non-paper scare
The United States voiced full support and pledged to help the Western Balkan countries' efforts to join the European Union on Monday (27 April), after an unofficial diplomatic note suggesting border changes in the region raised fears of renewed ethnic tensions in the south-eastern corner of Europe.
Leapfrogging gas: how geothermal could help eastern EU countries ditch fossil fuels
Geothermal energy could help central and eastern Europe break away from coal and gas, but it needs a quicker uptake and government backing to help meet renewable energy targets, advocates say.
Czech coal mining regions confronted with ‘hidden’ energy poverty
While Czech coal mining regions supply heat and electricity to the whole country, local people are often unable to afford heating their own homes, researchers say. More broadly, Czechia is struggling to meet its EU reporting obligations on energy poverty, an issue common to other countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
‘Low hanging fruit’: Eastern EU states eye existing gas network for hydrogen
Existing gas networks should be repurposed to transport hydrogen and help boost demand, said Michał Kurtyka, Polish Minister of Climate and Environment at an online event about hydrogen in Central and Eastern Europe on Friday (12 February).
Earthquake reveals skeletons in Croatia’s building closet
Milan Škornjak is from the village of Strašnik, 10 kilometres away from the devastated city of Glina. For 20 years, he has tried to alert government officials that his revamped house had not met construction and safety standards.
Croatia kicks off LNG terminal in north Adriatic
Croatia's liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on the northern Adriatic island of Krk began operations on Friday (1 January) amid the first delivery of gas, said the company which runs the unit.
New tremors shake Croatia after deadly quake
New tremors shook Croatia early Wednesday (30 December) as the Adriatic country was still picking up the pieces of a deadly earthquake that claimed at least seven lives and reduced buildings to rubble a day before. The new 4.8 and...
Croatia earthquake toll rises to seven, EU announces help
A search for survivors in Croatia stretched into the night Tuesday (29 December) after a powerful earthquake killed at least seven people in the country's interior, tearing down rooftops and piling bricks in the streets.