Brussels, 30/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - Following a meeting with the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, on 30 April, the Croatian President, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, has stated that it was unlikely that her country would join the euro area in 2020, as she recently indicated. “I said that 2020 was the earliest that Croatia could expect to join the euro area”, she clarified.
This statement was confirmed by Juncker. “Croatia has a natural vocation to become a member of the euro area, but many efforts have to be made to achieve that goal (…). Public finances have to be under control and the deficit is too high”, the Commission President said, adding that specific recommendations would be announced in the course of May and that it was more realistic not to set dates at this stage.
The Croatian President also broached the issue of the free movement of Croatian citizens, with eleven member states planning to extend the transition period in place for the free movement of Croatian workers this year. “Obviously, we don't want people to emigrate from Croatia, but we want to enable them that choice so that Croatian citizens can enjoy equal status with other EU citizens”, Grabar-Kitarovic said. Juncker supports Croatia in this ambition, stressing that it is a matter for the member states to decide themselves what they want. (Isabelle Lamberty)