Croatia begins new euro and Schengen zone era - BBC

Croatia is embarking connected a historical twelvemonth arsenic it joins the EU's border-free Schengen portion and it ditches its ain currency, the kuna, adopting the euro.

The state committed to joining the eurozone erstwhile it became the EU's newest subordinate successful 2013.

Nationalist parties wanted to support the kuna, but were overruled by the law court.

It is the twenty-seventh state successful the Schengen area, which allows 400 cardinal to determination freely betwixt countries.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the changes arsenic "two immense achievements" for the youngest subordinate authorities of the EU.

She said 1 January - erstwhile the changes officially happened - would beryllium a time "for the past books".

Above all, this would beryllium a infinitesimal of "joy and pridefulness for the Croatian people", she said.

"It is grounds of your astonishing journey, your hard enactment and your determination."

Croatia's Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovic, said connected Sunday the state - a erstwhile Yugoslav republic that fought a warfare of independency successful the 1990s - had "achieved its strategic, authorities and governmental goals" by the 2 historical changes.

He was speaking astatine a ceremonial astatine the Bregana borderline crossing with neighbouring Slovenia, wherever passports volition nary longer beryllium routinely checked.

Mr Plenkovic said that Schengen rank would "mean a batch for Croatia arsenic a tourer country, which is to a ample grade a destination wherever tourists question by car".

He added that "the information that we volition besides beryllium successful the eurozone gives different awesome to each those visiting Croatia".

Croatia's introduction into the Schengen portion is expected to boost its tourism industry, which accounts for 20% of its GDP and welcomes millions of visitors each year.

Previously agelong queues astatine borderline crossings with Hungary and Slovenia should go a happening of the past.

The usage of the euro is already wide successful the country, with cardinal assets specified arsenic homes valued successful the currency and a ample percent of slope deposits besides denominated successful euros.

Experts accidental moving to the European currency should assistance shield Croatia's system astatine a clip of ostentation crossed the globe.

The euro was launched connected 1 January 1999 arsenic an physics currency and became ineligible tender for astir 300 cardinal radical successful 12 subordinate states connected 1 January 2002. With the summation of Croatia, determination are present 20 countries successful the eurozone.