Croatia switched to the euro and entered Europe's passport-free zone—two major milestones for the country after joining the European Union nearly a decade ago.
—two major milestones for the country after joining the European Union nearly a decade ago.
"It is the season of new beginnings. And there is no place in Europe where this is more true than here in Croatia," tweeted EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, as she arrived in Croatia to mark the occasion. "It will be difficult. Prices that are already high will become even higher," said Ivana Toncic, a teacher from Zagreb."The euro was already a value measure—psychologically it's nothing new—while entry into Schengen is fantastic news for tourism," he told AFP.Croatians have long valued their most precious assets such as cars and apartments in euros, displaying a lack of confidence in the local currency.
Croatia, a former Yugoslav republic of 3.9 million people that fought a war of independence in the 1990s, joined the European Union in 2013.Croatia's inflation rate reached 13.5 percent in November compared to 10 percent in the eurozone. In recent days, customers have queued at banks and ATMs to withdraw cash, fearing payment problems during the immediate aftermath of the transition period.
A similar ceremony was held at the Slovenia border, with Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic and Slovenian Public Administration Minister Sanja Ajanovic Hovnik.