Croatia becomes part of Schengen! The country will become part of the passport-free Schengen zone from January 2023. The EU Parliament gave the green light in a vote on Thursday.
”Croatia's place is in Schengen. The criteria have been met. The Croatian people deserve this and it brings added value to the people of Europe.”
This is what European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said in a tweet after the vote in the EU Parliament.
The formal decision is expected to be made by the EU Council of Ministers on December 9, 2022, but already a year ago, the EU Council of Ministers determined that Croatia meets all the requirements and rules set to become part of Schengen.
Schengen is the world's largest passport-free zone, allowing people to travel freely between 26 European countries, 22 EU countries and four other European countries including Norway. This means that border controls between Slovenia and Croatia, but also between Hungary and Croatia, will be abolished. The EU's external border will now be Croatia's borders with Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Passport controls on flights from Schengen countries will disappear, but Schengen membership will make it easier for tourists travelling by car, especially from Slovenia, which is the usual entry point by car from Scandinavia. A car journey along the entire Croatian coast is now also possible. In July this year, Pelje was inauguratedšThe AC bridge that spans the coastal strip at Neum, which belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The bridge was part of the Schengen criteria to enable border-free travel throughout Croatia.
It is also clear that Croatia will become a eurozone country. On January 1, 2023, the euro will become the official currency instead of the Kuna.
According to the press release.
