The joining of Croatia to the European Union has brought the country a total of €12 billion since 2013, when it became part of the bloc, with Zagreb aspiring to reach the wider bloc’s average standard within the decade to come.
Such estimations have been introduced by Croatia’s Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovic, in the annual report on the Croatian Government’s work in the Parliament, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
The total net profit of Croatia in relation to payments and disbursements to the budget of the European Union amounts to 12 billion euros
According to him, the Croatian GDP per inhabitant seven years ago was 62 per cent of the EU average, while now it stands at 73 per cent.
Plenkovic noted that the Croatian Government has achieved a lot, taking into account Croatian EU membership; however, there is still a lot of work to be done to reach the EU average in the next ten years. According to a report from Croatia News, about €25 billion of European funds available funds eligible to Croatia in the coming decade will also help with this aim.
Croatia’s accession to the Schengen Zone and the adoption of the euro has also helped to strengthen the country’s role in the bloc, as estimated previously by the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković.
According to Plenković, the membership of Croatia to the borderless area of Schengen has changed the position of the country to the bloc, making it an example to follow.
Entering the Schengen area and the Eurozone on the same day is a unique achievement that no country before us has achieved… at the same time, it showed that Croatia can be a model for those countries that want to follow that path.
Becoming part of the Schengen Zone has also contributed significantly to the country’s travel and tourism sector.
In August this year, during the plenary session, the Croatian PM said that the country saw 14.1 million arrivals since the beginning of this year, following its membership to Schengen.
Since the beginning of the year, 14.1 million arrivals and 74.5 million overnight stays have been achieved, which is eight per cent more arrivals and three per cent more overnight stays than last year.
In addition, he emphasised that domestic tourism also saw a notable surge, accounting for a total of 15 per cent increase in each arrivals as well as nights spent.