\u201cI\u2019ve long been a passionate supporter of the EU and all the opportunities and rights it offers. When we joined, my elder daughter was just starting secondary school, and I was thrilled because I knew that for her generation \u2013 and for the younger ones too \u2013 new opportunities would open up for education and later for employment across the EU. And I was right \u2013 she\u2019s now doing her Master\u2019s in the Netherlands. But the EU isn\u2019t just about young people \u2013 it also provides a wide range of lifelong learning programmes that aren\u2019t age-restricted. I know many people will say that everything has become more expensive since joining the EU and that many bright young people have left the country, but I see us as part of a community. We\u2019re connected, all on one continent \u2013 you can drive, or take a low-cost flight. And I see in the media how local communities are developing well thanks to EU funds, and I believe we can even support our neighbours who haven\u2019t yet joined the EU… I really like it<\/em>\u201d, says Marina (51), from Zadar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Croatian media reports, the largest EU-funded investments over the past twelve years include the Pelje\u0161ac Bridge (\u20ac350 million), the modernisation of the Rijeka\u2013Budapest railway line (over \u20ac1 billion), the upgrade of Dubrovnik Airport (\u20ac250 million), the rural development programme (\u20ac2 billion), post-earthquake assistance to Petrinja (\u20ac1 billion), and various other forms of financial support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to government data, EU membership has helped accelerate Croatia\u2019s economic development. While ten years ago Croatia\u2019s development level was at 59% of the EU average, it is now over 70%. The process of drawing on EU funds has also significantly improved \u2013 in the first ten years, Croatia received \u20ac10.74 billion more from EU funds than it contributed to the common EU budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For now, we truly benefit from being in the EU, but I don\u2019t know how long that will last. I fear we\u2019re entering a period of serious challenges \u2013 but then again, I find some comfort in the fact that we\u2019re not facing them alone<\/em>\u201d, says Ivica (35) from Zagreb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Eurostat data for 2023, which were published in February 2025, Croatia is the safest country in the European Union \u2013 only 1.2% of people at risk of poverty reported experiencing crime, violence, or vandalism in their neighbourhood. Among those not at risk of poverty, the figure was 1.5%, the lowest in the EU, where the average stands at around 10%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Alongside domestic reforms, Croatia \u2013 through its Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds \u2013 has also been supporting neighbouring countries on their path to EU accession, especially Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This support has included initiatives in healthcare (early diagnosis of melanoma and bowel cancer, for example), tourism, protection of cultural heritage, disaster risk prevention, and energy efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The experience of Croatia shows how EU membership can drive economic growth, improve public services, and enhance security. The Western Balkan countries now have a similar opportunity. With continued commitment to reforms, on rule of law, governance, green transition and digitalisation, they too can deliver real benefits for their citizens. Croatia\u2019s journey is proof that transformation is possible when countries seize the momentum and stay the course toward the European Union.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On 1st July 2025, Croatia marks twelve years of membership in the European Union. Having joined in 2013 as the 28th \u2013 and so far the most recent \u2013 full member state, six years after Bulgaria and Romania, Croatia entered the Schengen Area and the Eurozone at the start of 2023, adopting the euro as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3162260,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[694],"tags":[],"area-of-cooperation":[],"country":[245,246,247,248,249,250],"opportunity-type":[],"class_list":["post-3162257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","country-albania","country-bosnia-and-herzegovina","country-kosovo","country-montenegro","country-north-macedonia","country-serbia"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/webalkans.a3ia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/P023565001301-670509-scaled-3.jpg\")
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