Has the EU Changed Croatia for the Better?

10 years ago, Croatia joined the European Union as the bloc's 28th member. A lot has happened since then, with several major events testing the group's unity, and relevance in a fast-changing world. From the ongoing migrant crisis that began in 2015, to the Covid-19 pandemic, and most recently, the war in Ukraine, the EU has seen numerous cracks in its unity. But Croatia has clearly sided with the bloc, and has pushed human rights, democracy and strong institutions. And this year, Croatia gained entry into the Eurozone and the Schengen Area, which has had a dramatic impact on its demographics and economy. Veljko Skenderija went to Zagreb to find out more.
Across The Balkans, hosted by Nafisa Latic, is TRT World’s programme that focuses specifically on the issues and fault lines shaping Southeast Europe today.
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[@latviabalkanumuzika1514]

To Latvia 🇱🇻 it took more than 10 years to see actual benefits from EU on the ground! All depends on you! Good luck Croatia 🇭🇷 🇱🇻

[@badpadre8418]

Honestly i still dont see any diffrence maybe becouse im a regular working class.

[@Boro1196]

Biggest advantage of joining the EU is that you can leave👌

[@croatianwarmaster7872]

Croatia is not "western balkans", that is a politically loaded term made up by enemies of Croatian independence.

[@hrvojeflass5685]

True

[@saellenx3528]

Croatia is located in Western part of Balkan peninsula. So it's Western Balkan Nation, no matter how hard it is for you an ultra radical Nationalist to accept.

[@hrvojeflass5685]

@@saellenx3528 listen you expert ,,we were fighting against balkan 1000years, Balkan tried to conquer us,but they failed. And we were border of catholicism , ultra radicalism and toxic masculinity in the past ,and we are still the same.

[@hrvojeflass5685]

@@saellenx3528 u english are almost all homosexuals btw. Thats cool !

[@vordag]

geographicaly balkan is south of river sava so ...

[@Eddiewouldgo27]

We’re actually not part of the balkans firstly Secondly I don’t agree with the EU or euro ! Destroyer of what was once beautiful

[@husamabed6527]

Croatia is lovely country!

[@realtalk675]

Thank you brother ❤

[@husamabed6527]

@@realtalk675 Nema na cemo, pozdrav iz Palestine.

[@Isaax]

Wait what do you mean 10 years? It's... it's not been that long, has it? Bros, where did the time go...

[@user-jo3tn6cu4n]

U ALKOHOL DI DRUGDI

[@ivomedic5745]

Croatian populations decreased that means overall life in old country is declining standard of living with inflation is over 15%.European migrants baying property in Croatia and Croatia loosing traditional landlords value.

[@vrsimulo1234]

Yup! Very very sad!

[@kernobil8162]

They chose the worst english speaker from my country and decided yup thats the person.

[@nevankabediv5035]

No it’s not good for Canadian dolar

[@gabreq6489]

that professor who speaks in the second part of the video can't handle one sentence without UHHH UMM UHHHHH i feel bad for her students

[@markocroatia7630]

Domestic population, foreign workers, lustrarion, foreign estate investments and minimum wage which are parts of economic categories, aren't only problems. Our biggest problem is railway which need to go across entire Dalmatia from Knin to Ploče and Railway Tunel Učka. This two aren't in plan. Also railway from Karlovav across Knin to Split are only single-tracked, and not in olan to add more 1 or more tracks. Another thing is military. So we don't have any submarines and aircraft carriers. We need more fighter and hunter aircrafts, and missiles in Croatian Army (to launch from Navy ships or from land to air/water/land). We don't nuclear program (nuclear bombs) and rocket launchers can't shoot rockets in long distsnce (only land vechiles with limit of 3 000 km are in plans, not ships, submarines or planes).

[@JmMateo933]

We don't need better military

[@dino9086]

što svi volite srati po svojoj zemlji,šta da živiš u Srbiji,Kosovu,BIH,Makedonija....sve sam obišao i to je tuga HR je amerika za ostatak balkana i Rumuniju i Bugarsku i Grčku koje su u EU prije nas!!!

[@KraljStefan-ey3bo]

​​@@dino9086 Hrvatska je jedna prezaduzena siromasna pustara koja prezivljava od turizma... Koliko je Hrvatska siromasna vidi se i po tome da su obnovili samo nekoliko kuca nakon zemljotresa.

[@dino9086]

ma ti si glup,ja Srbin živim u Slavoniji i ti meni govoriš koliko je nešto u HR!!!!@@KraljStefan-ey3bo

[@vordag]

@@KraljStefan-ey3bo ... još si nas dobro i opisao obzirom da si, kralj srbin btw jel ima koji srbin a da nije kralj car boss rambo pastuh .. ili nešto slično, samo se znate napuhavat i glumit neke veličine, to nebeski narod priča svoje nebeske bajke :)

[@Eddiewouldgo27]

It will end up Multicultural look at the major issues of that eg: Germany France etc

[@stevefrompolaca2403]

imo no no no!!!

[@realtalk675]

No ! All the groceries are so expensive and the salaries lower ! Its horrible

[@htpeck91]

Professor sounds like a puppet of the government.

[@fof1353]

Got to stay in dormitory, financed, driver over the bridges and trough tunels, went to France and back with ID, have nice pay due to europan projects, drive in buses, all of those were 95% payed by eu. Not to mention European tourists, European investments and companies. Didnt need to learn French or German or what ever do these sceptics think im being slave to

[@Thoreaue]

Does anyone read statistics or just repeats empty numbers. Yes Croatian population over last decade dropped about 10% (400.000) but major part of that was not due to emigration but due to Natural population decrease, i.e. number of deaths exceeded the number of births by 160.000 (40% of those 400k).

[@froglifes6829]

its not natural at all

[@mrki412]

it is same in Germany, France, but they are importing cheap labour force from Africa, Asia, etc. @@froglifes6829

[@JmMateo933]

I am so sick of these EU sceptics

[@JutubRacun-rs5jt]

I am so sick of the EU 😅

[@Elliasp-xx7mb]

the comments of "EU sceptics" are most of the time from Russia and Africa, not from Europe. They don't like a strong Europe as you can guess...

[@GlueEat3r]

people who like the EU are either stupid or left the country

[@hectorsamperas8981]

A population decrease is a sign of a non-functional country. Legal institutions and a lean but functional administration have to be the backbones in order to attract investors...

[@dino9086]

this year more people came in Croatia then left,all Croatia people came home now from USA and EU to home because inflation!

[@hectorsamperas8981]

@@dino9086There are also a lot of refugees from Ukraine etc. which came to Cro. The inefficient Croatian administration is intended, as the EU countries (especially Germany) need cheap labour and Croatian politicians are playing the game. The real estate crisis in the EU (excl. CRO) might be a reason for a short term comeback, but ist not a long term solution. Only foreign companies referencing an easy opening of subsidiaries, production plants (as in Slovenia, Slovakia, the Baltic states...)...in Cro, could convince me that the trend goes uphill...

[@croatianwarmaster7872]

​@@dino9086we want Croats to live in Croatia. This is not some amusement park where people come amd go. It is a nation state created by Croatian people for the benefit of the Croatian people.

[@ljuboizsiska5448]

Depopulation is widespread throughout the EU. Croatia is not an exception but the rule. The lack of population growth is compensated by immigration in more economically developed countries. Fortunately, Croatia is not an attractive immigrant country, so we are spared the cultural destruction and terrorism that comes with these "engineers and doctors". The small workforce that receives a work permit in Croatia comes from Nepal and India. Muslims are not welcome.

[@dino9086]

@@ljuboizsiska5448 now people come in Croatia from USA,Kanada,Australia and EU,more people came now live in Croatia and work.

[@ratkogulija7212]

Gdje su našli ovu profesoricu s krnjim engleskim. Ne ostavlja dobar dojam predstavljajući hrvatsku. Mislim da bi jedan Francuz ili Nijemac bio poprilicno ljut gledajući ovaj video. Još uz to sto ne zna engleski baljezga gluposti. štoviše upitno mi zvuci tvrdnja da je profesorica na sveučilištu ( možda na filozofskom haha). Za kraj se nadam da netko dobro praši voditeljicu hehe!

[@farset1273]

The Croatian government built a lot of infrastructure on subsidies from Western European members of the EU without taking care of other things. It's literally like building better roads to make it easier for your own population to leave for other countries, lol. Baltic States 2.0

[@milanmakaveli7910]

You left Yugoslavia to get independence, but then joined a bigger beurocracy.. the big fish in the EU (Germany and France) write the rules).

[@loudseik9997]

The problem in Yugoslavia was not so much in the bureaucracy for us as it was the growing Serbian nationalism and attempts to remake Yugoslavia into a greater Serbia.

[@user-hx4ge1lq6v]

They say together in diversity but to enter u should be like they ar especialy in moral values

[@Rafsan08]

What do you mean?

[@user-hx4ge1lq6v]

Example Kosova in this road to enterEu from Muslim for those 23years is be republicOfvhores

[@taldje7672]

if you are a muslim country DON'T EVEN BOTHER

[@user-hx4ge1lq6v]

We was most proudnation inEurope now we ar republicofVhores cose of road to wnter in EuUnion,they programe us to be like they ar and our politicans accept that

[@taldje7672]

@@user-hx4ge1lq6v shouldn't the democracy they claim (I'm not saying democracy is wrong personally Im for) ,give you the right to say that out loud SO SPEAK UP

[@Eduard.Popa.]

European Union is better for all European member countries ❤ And more than that, Eurozone and Schengen is a success. The numbers prove it.

[@IVANOsijek007]

Croatia lost 10% of its population in 10 years due to young, educated people leaving. Demographically, Croatia is one of the most endangered areas of population loss in the world.

[@Eduard.Popa.]

@@IVANOsijek007 that's freedom. Is not the only country and definitely not the most affected. See Bulgaria. But in time, the population will stop decreasing and start rising. See Poland.

[@IVANOsijek007]

@@Eduard.Popa. See France. Britain also left. And we are getting replaced by asian and african people. Losing my land to foreign nations is not freedom, its war. Also Germany for example uses slavic nations as a colonizor for its market while also taking over young educated people. That is not freedom.

[@roko4620]

​10000% true the EU is hell for Croatia

[@Eduard.Popa.]

@@roko4620 you're a liar. Tourism increase more than by 20%. You are just a hater and you are delusional.

[@hzv3627]

Ova EU je najgore šta se nama moglo desit. Ali vijerujem da če i to jednog dana propast. I kad pomislim na kunu nemogu vijerovat da smo nju prodali 😔🇭🇷

[@ajkulac9895]

Zašto? Plaće jako rastu (ne svima, znam), turizam zarađuje više nego ikad, EU nam je poklonila planinu novaca i još umjesto nas love korumpirane političare. Što ne valja?

[@hzv3627]

@@ajkulac9895 takvi kao ti su razlog za sve ovo šta nevalja

[@filiphlupic1582]

From Croatia - yes it has!!!!!!

[@Annathroy]

Lmao na niti jedno pitanje nije odgovorila

[@user-tv9eb3rc5f]

Mijenjajte nešto😊

[@Lily-cv1ds]

No.

[@harijurada6058]

NO !

[@Echo-xf8op]

Selam from Bosnian Refugee in New York ! Pyramid is in Bosnia ,the land of Lilies and good good fearing people . Free Bosna

[@tayebizem3749]

Muslimanski izrodee moment Lilies 😂😂😂

[@putinwillhanginthemiddleof4866]

What pyramids ❓🤣🤣🤣🤣😂🤣🤣🤣😂🤣😂 Yeah , sure … the charlatan , pseudo archaeologist who claims that there are magic rays.. and wears Indiana Jones hat told you that 🤣🤣🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤣‼️

[@zugi]

What EU. I live in Croatia and we still have same corruption, we are even lower on economic ladder then when we entered EU, we have lost 20% of people in best working years, we are only ex communist country in Europe that didn't go through lustration (process of removing ex communist from government)....and so on and on. Our workforce has been replaced by foreign workers of lowest education. 300.000 of foreign workers in a country of 3.5 million people in total (not only workforce). Also, large parts of our country were sold to foreigners that have money. Also, during our membership in EU there were only 2 referendums in country and both were stoled saying that there is missing few thousand signatures but when people wanted to check signatures government 'lost' same signatures obligated to keep. There is no more rule of law in EU then there were in communism,

[@Thoreaue]

None of your numbers are correct, not even close, not to mention other moronic statements ...

[@TheCroatianMapper]

That’s a very poor analysis.

[@zugi]

@@TheCroatianMapper What I wrote is not analysis but list of facts. When I would be writing analysis then it would be a lot longer and lot worse for described state Croatia is in.

[@danielm6319]

​@@zugi I found hundreds of Indian, Bangladesh and Nepali videos about working visas and jobs (explanation) from Croatia. That's just for last 30 days. Around 1,000 to 20,000 views per video.

[@zugi]

@@danielm6319 That's right, you found a lot of low-skill workforce jobs in tourism like waiters (eventually construction jobs) that are in demand since Croatia depends a lot on tourism. You did not find job opportunities for the college degree workforce which we had but went to other EU countries that have a lot better pay for same jobs.

[@Siranoxz]

The Balkans in my opinion is nothing but trouble, if they would join the EU, then the EU has mor problem on its hands then we can handle. Yeah if the expansion fatigue is there then that´s the best thing for the EU as a whole.

[@hrvojelasic5794]

European Union is at the moment pushing war with Russia, which is on the edge to become nuclear and is way worse than anything Balkan could do for EU.

[@JmMateo933]

EU already can't handle their current problems...

[@antemrkic1702]

Enjoy your immigrants then.

[@ppthetruth3410]

. Flat Wars episode II antivaxer army strikes back - the comment section

[@ppthetruth3410]

rated PG 13

[@mariomusic3058]

The EU is a disaster! Croatia totally failed by joining the EU, the Schengen zone and switching to the Euro. We have an African standard of living, and Western European prices and Balkan salaries. This is the main reason for the exodus of Croats from the EU Croatia. A failed state, soon only poor emigrants from Asia and Africa will live in Croatia.😄

[@bro223]

EU change Croatia to worse. It was mistake we join.

[@bro223]

@@elliasp6204 Who mention Russia? I only told that we live better before EU dictatorship which is not better then Russia.

[@Siranoxz]

@@bro223 If you call the EU a dictatorship compared to Russia, then my suggestion is that you join Russia instead to make you understand what a real dictatorship is. Dont type bs that you don´t understand.

[@mario8511]

I grew up in Croatia in the time before EU. It was economically very bad. EU is great and thank God that we joined the Union.

[@dino9086]

budala!

[@evrenosi]

CROATIA MUST LEAVE EU

[@Siranoxz]

Then leave, we dont want more Easterners cockroaches knocking on our doorstep.

[@fiditenemini2452]

no.

[@JmMateo933]

​@@SiranoxzCroatia is Southern European but ok

[@ajcics]

Terrible mistake joining EU

[@lucijasunce3068]

Croatia is NOT a Balkan country!