Croatia begins countdown to historic EU entry

Croatia began the countdown on Sunday to its entry into the European Union as the bloc's 28th member, with celebrations planned to mark the historic step despite worries over the parlous state of the economy. "July 1... opens up a completely new perspective, a new world for us," Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic told parliament on Saturday, denying Croatia would be a burden on the EU. Croatia will become only the second former Yugoslav republic to join the bloc, after Slovenia, following the bloody breakup of the ex-communist federation in the 1990s. In a symbolic gesture to celebrate membership, Croatia will remove the "Customs" sign at a border crossing with Slovenia at midnight on Sunday. At the same time, the "EU" sign will be erected at the land border with Serbia, another ex-Yugoslav republic with which the bloc agreed on Friday to open membership talks by January 2014. The two events will be broadcast live in a Zagreb square, the main site for celebrations expected to be attended by more than 100 European dignitaries. Heads of state from all six ex-Yugoslav republics will be among the guests, but the leaders of many EU member states including Britain, France and notably Germany will not be present. German Chancellor Angela Merkel cited a full workload to excuse herself from the event, but both Croatian media and the opposition labelled her decision a "diplomatic slap". On Sunday evening, some 700 artists including singers, musicians and dancers will stage performances. Croatia's cultural heritage and history of scientific innovation will also be showcased, including the neck tie. The EU anthem, Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", will be played,and then several dignitaries, notably European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Croatian President Ivo Josipovic, will address an expected crowd of thousands.  The Balkan country has aspired to join the EU club ever since it proclaimed independence from the former Yugoslavia, a move that sparked the bloody 1991-1995 war against rebel Serbs backed by Belgrade. Social Democrat premier Milanovic has dismissed fears the country of 4.2 million would be an economic burden for the bloc. "Why would we be a problem? After we negotiated for years (with Brussels) every detail... we have a stable political system, we have an economic crisis like every one else, we have a relatively stable banking system," he said on Saturday. "At the end of the day we are not part of eurozone," he said, referring to the crisis-ridden single currency bloc. Milanovic's centre-left government hopes that EU entry will attract badly needed foreign investment and boost the economy with 11.7 billion euros ($15 billion) of potential financial aid. Croatia will be the first new member since Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007, but the celebrations are undoubtedly overshadowed by economic worries.  The economy has been either in recession or stagnant for the past four years, while the EU itself is struggling with the eurozone debt crisis. EU figures show that Croatia, where unemployment stands at around 20 percent, would be among the bloc's poorest countries. Its per capita gross domestic product is 39 percent below the EU average, with only Romania and Bulgaria lagging behind. Tough demands made by Brussels in exchange for membership have somewhat dampened Croatian enthusiasm for the EU, with support for membership standing at about 50 percent, according to surveys. "300,000 unemployed. Why... should they celebrate? Does EU have a magic wand to make all problems vanish?" read a comment posted on the government's Facebook account. Others remain confident that membership will bring real benefits, including 48-year-old Tihana Strmecki. "I'm happy... since we've been always oriented towards West. We will be a part of Europe and I hope that no one will attack this country ever more," said the engineer from the central town of Sisak, referring to the 1991-1995 independence war that claimed 20,000 lives. In addition to agreeing to open accession talks with Serbia, EU leaders also gave the green light last week to preliminary discussions with Kosovo, the first step on the long path to Brussels.