After having worked so hard, Croatia has become a Schengen country. Last year, the country was allowed this status in December. Croatia becomes the 27th member of the Schengen area. From January 1, 2023, border controls have been abolished at land and sea border crossings, and in spring, March 26, 2023, at airports. Over the past few years, Slovenia and Portugal actively supported Croatia’s entry into Schengen. On the other hand, the entry of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen zone has been postponed.
In July 2015, two years after joining the European Union, Croatia applied to enter a space where about 400 million citizens from 26 countries move freely without passports. The area is named after the Luxembourg town of Schengen, where an agreement was signed in 1985.
Croatia achieves 80 percent of its trade with members of the Schengen area, and 75 percent of tourists arrive in Croatia from Schengen area members, mostly by car, and their arrival without border controls will be faster, easier, and simpler.
On the other hand, International human rights organizations on Thursday assessed the EU’s decision on Croatia’s entry into the Schengen zone as a “bad precedent for the future expansion of that area” because the Croatian authorities and border police violate European and international law in their treatment of migrants.
Croatia has just entered Schengen, what this means for Serbia. One must prepare for strict controls at the borders. Until now, Croats traveled to Serbia, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, and Montenegro only with a passport and vice versa. This will not change, but from now on the controls at the border crossings will be significantly more rigorous, because Croatia’s borders with Serbia, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, and Montenegro become the external borders of the European Union.
Croatia has been facing a labor shortage for certain occupations over the past few years. Specially Tourism where 20 Million people visit Croatia from around the world each year. Ever since it has got membership in the EU block, more and more young educated people are leaving for Germany and Ireland for more money and a secure future.