Croatia and the European Union: a long delayed journey

Abstract

The accession talks with the European Union, which Croatia begun in October 2005, have been described as an opportunity for a complete transformation of Croatian society. As of 2000, membership of the EU has been described as being of strategic importance, to be compared only with the 1992 international recognition of Croatia. Membership of the EU is seen as the end of ‘second transition’ (from nationalism and isolation of the 1990s to a modern, European state) and as an opportunity to increase a level of de facto sovereignty of the new state over its domestic affairs. Accordingly, in the last five years, the official narrative has been radically changed, whereas Tudjmanists have been marginalised. In addition, Croatian domestic politics has changed to become co-operative with ethnic minorities. The article analyses this transformation by placing it in the context of the EU-Croatian relations.