About: Croatia
The ‘Great Reallocation’ of European talent
Welcome to EURACTIV’s weekly Economy Brief. You can subscribe to the newsletter here. More than two years after the pandemic struck and long since the last lockdown forced people to turn their work life upside down, a great number of...
Commission gives Croatia go-ahead for 2023 euro adoption
Croatia fulfils all economic criteria to join the euro area in January 2023 despite rising inflation, according to the EU Commission’s biannual convergence report, published on Wednesday (1 June)
Lack of Bosnia election reform before key ballot splits Croatia and EU Commission
Discontent with the absence of a hoped-for electoral reform in neighbouring Bosnia-Herzegovina, Zagreb has blasted as "illegitimate" the upcoming elections in BiH, while the European Commission repeated they were key for the fragile Balkan country's European future.
Action plan for strengthening electricity network to integrate renewable energy sources
The government has improved legislation that facilitates processes, including the recently passed new Electricity Market Act. Read this article in Croatian. The Croatian State Archives hosted the promotion of two expert studies on renewable energy sources in Croatia, initiated by...
Ukraine voices ‘deep disapointment’ over Croatian president’s comments
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summoned Croatian Ambassador Anica Džamić on Wednesday (26 January) following Croatian President Zoran Milanović's scathing comments about Ukraine, including that it is one of the most corrupt countries in the world and does not belong in NATO.
Croatia’s population drops nearly 10 percent in a decade
Croatia's population has shrunk by nearly 10% in the last decade due to an exodus fuelled by a flagging economy, the latest census showed Friday (14 January).
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.