Reuters
ANNOUNCEMENTS•
As of today, Croatia is a member of the Euro countries and the country is entering the Schengen zone. This means that travelers from one of the other 26 so-called Schengen countries no longer have to go through passport control and that payments can be made in euros.
Passports will no longer be required for those traveling to Croatia from one of the euro countries by car or train. This still applies to the plane. Passport control will be lifted at the end of March. The same is true in reverse for the nearly 4 million Croatians.
Tonight the ministers of Croatia and Slovenia together symbolically opened the border barrier between the two countries:
Croatia celebrates the introduction of the euro and the abolition of passport controls
The new currency offers economic benefits to residents. This facilitates trade with countries that also use the euro as a means of payment. “We have opened our doors to Europe. This goes beyond the abolition of border controls, it is the definitive confirmation of our European identity,” said Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic.
strict iron
Croatia has been a member of the EU for almost ten years, but the euro had not yet been introduced. The country first had to meet stringent economic requirements regarding inflation and public debt, among other things. The European Commission ruled last year that the country complied, so permission was granted to exchange the kuna for the euro. The original national currency can still be used all year round.
Croatia is the twentieth country where it is possible to make payments with the euro. Ultimately, the idea is that all EU countries will adopt the euro. Denmark has made an exception.
The Croatian 2 euro coin shows the map of the country. The national symbol of a marten is depicted on the 1 euro coin. The 50, 20 and 10 cent coins feature the likeness of Serbian inventor Nikola Tesla, born in Croatia.
