Croatia's «Long Journey» to the EU

Abstract

What marked the Croatia's history from the 1990s to the beginning of the 21st century was its accession to the EU after long and difficult six-year membership negotiations (2005-2011). It was the only state from the Western Balkans region that so far had succeeded alone and not in a group in joining the Union as its 28th member on July 1, 2013.

Since the 1980s, from the six republics, which made up Yugoslavia, Croatia and Slovenia were the most prepared to become part of the Еuropean Union. Both countries have always been seen as one group, but if the latter quickly succeeded in joining to the EU with the Central European countries in 2004, Croatia lagged dramatically in the 1990s, possessed by a strong nationalism, hostile to the very idea of a united Europe – it fell behind even countries such as Bulgaria and Romania.

Only after Tudjman death and when his nationalistic Croatian Democratic Union lost power in 2000, the foreign policy of the country radically changed and became pro-European and pro-Nato. EU membership became a foreign policy priority – it has been seen not only as a matter of economic prosperity, political stability and social security, but also a guarantee of the sovereignty of the country.

Croatia applied for EU membership in 2003 and on the next year the European Commission officially invited her to start membership talks. But the EU was not in a hurry with the enlargement. After the accession of Bulgaria and Romania in 2007, the Union became more precise and restrictive in the new reception. Croatia had to solve also its border issues with Slovenia. The cooperation with the Hague tribunal for war crimes in the former Yugoslavia was also very painful for the Croats. The EU membership talks were prolonged for almost six years. Officially they ended up when the accession treaty was signed up in Brussels in December 2011 and it was supposed to enter into force on July 1, 2013, after it has been ratified by the Croatian side and by all EU Member States.

Unlike the contracts with Bulgaria and Romania, there were no safeguard clauses in the one with Croatia, but the country was subjectеа to three monitoring reports by July 1, 2013. It officially entered the Union in 2013 but that happened in a moment when Europe was in a deep economic crisis and it had no chance to gain seezable economic benefits from its membership. So, the Euroscepticism became quite popular among Croats soon after their country became part of the huge European community.

Accession to the United Europe could not quickly and automatically take Croatia out of its internal crisis, but it was still a serious prospect for it, whose population has always been expressing its geographical, cultural and historical background and belonging to Europe. The country saw a chance with its accession to the EU to become the "leader" of the Western Balkans and lead them on their way to European integration. From now on, Croatia is facing the question of joining the eurozone and entering Schengen, which is perspective for the future.