Croatia joined the Schengen and the euro zone on January 1

Croatia became the 20th member of the euro zone and the 27th member of the Schengen zone on January 1, 2023.

Now, to enter the country, you will need a Schengen visa, and the local currency — the kuna — has been replaced by the euro. Residents of Croatia will be able to use both currencies simultaneously for another two weeks.

Recall that two other candidates for membership in the Schengen area — Bulgaria and Romania — were refused due to the objections of Austria and the Netherlands.

Earlier, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer also said that he did not consider it possible for Bosnia and Herzegovina to join the European Union in an accelerated manner. According to him, from the point of view of the EU, this country does not yet meet all the criteria for accession.