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Croatia set to become 28th European Union member Croatia becomes 28th European Union member
(about 13 hours later)
Croatia is gearing up to become the 28th member of the European Union, with celebrations planned in Zagreb. Croatia has become the 28th member of the European Union, with crowds joining celebrations in the capital Zagreb.
The milestone will occur at midnight, capping an extraordinary journey for the republic from the Balkan wars of the 1990s. Fireworks lit the sky as membership became effective at midnight (22:00 GMT), with President Ivo Josipovic describing the event as historic.
But after years in the economic doldrums, correspondents say few Croatians are in the mood to party. It comes almost two decades after Croatia's brutal war of independence.
The country of 4.4m is also joining a bloc deeply troubled and divided over its existing economic problems. But correspondents say enthusiasm for the EU in the country has been dampened by the eurozone crisis, and Croatia's own economic problems.
At midnight (22:00 GMT), EU signs will be unveiled at border crossings and customs duties will cease to be applied. 'New chapter'
Celebrations will be held later on Sunday in the central square of the capital Zagreb, with speeches and music including Beethoven's Ode to Joy, the European anthem. Celebrations took place in the central square of Zagreb, with fireworks and music including Beethoven's Ode to Joy, the European anthem.
There will be addresses by officials including President Ivo Josipovic and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso - though German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pulled out of attending, saying she is busy, and the leaders of the UK and France will also be absent. "Welcome to the European Union!" European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in Croatian to the cheering crowd.
Concerns President Josipovic said it was "a great and joyful day for our homeland".
The only other former Yugoslav republic to have joined the EU since the break-up of the federation into seven is Slovenia. "This the day when we open a new chapter in the thick book of our history," he added.
But with one in five unemployed and Croatia's national debt officially classed as junk, many Croatians feel joining an economic bloc with its own profound troubles will do little to improve their prospects. Earlier he told a meeting of EU and regional leaders: "The accession of Croatia to the European Union is confirmation that each one of us belongs to the European democratic and cultural set of values."
"Just look what's happening in Greece and Spain! Is this where we're headed?" asked pensioner Pavao Brkanovic in a Zagreb market. Croatian officials then unveiled EU signs and removed customs posts at the borders with Slovenia, the first former Yugoslav republic to have joined the bloc, and with Hungary.
Croatia is the first new EU member since Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007. It is 10 years since it applied.
Croatia's split from Yugoslavia triggered a 1991-1995 war to secure its independence.
But with one in five unemployed and Croatia's national debt officially classed as junk, some Croatians feel joining an economic bloc with its own serious troubles will do little to improve their prospects.
"Just look what's happening in Greece and Spain! Is this where we're headed?" asked pensioner Pavao Brkanovic in a market in the capital.
"You need illusions to be joyful, but the illusions have long gone," he told Reuters news agency."You need illusions to be joyful, but the illusions have long gone," he told Reuters news agency.
Concerns about Croatian corruption and organised crime remain in some EU capitals, and Croatia will not yet join the single currency nor the visa-free Schengen zone. Concerns about Croatian corruption and organised crime remain among some EU leaders, and Croatia will not yet join the single currency nor the visa-free Schengen zone.
But advocates of EU membership say despite this, their case remains a persuasive one.But advocates of EU membership say despite this, their case remains a persuasive one.
Two-thirds of Croatians voted in favour of accession last year - and the government points out it doesn't have a banking black hole like certain current EU members. Two-thirds of Croatians voted in favour of accession last year.
'Stability'
"It's important for us primarily for the long term guarantees of political stability and then everything else - the single market too," Croatia's First Deputy Prime Minister, Vesna Pusic, told the BBC."It's important for us primarily for the long term guarantees of political stability and then everything else - the single market too," Croatia's First Deputy Prime Minister, Vesna Pusic, told the BBC.
"But for us it's also the political stability and actually maybe that might sound a little over the top, but the fact that there was no war since it was formed and we actually know that there is an alternative to that which we've seen in our lifetimes," she said.
The EU itself has given Croatia a clean bill of health - and praised reforms which improve the rule of law and tackle corruption.The EU itself has given Croatia a clean bill of health - and praised reforms which improve the rule of law and tackle corruption.
It hopes the other countries of the former Yugoslavia will be encouraged to join - and secure long-term peace for an historically turbulent region, reports the BBC's regional correspondent Guy De Launey.It hopes the other countries of the former Yugoslavia will be encouraged to join - and secure long-term peace for an historically turbulent region, reports the BBC's regional correspondent Guy De Launey.