June 20, 2023 – Croatian membership in the European Union is a success story, and the “transformational” effect of membership in the European Union is visible everywhere in Croatia. At least Roberta Metsola, the president of the EU Parliament, pointed out as much in her speech in the Croatian Parliament.
“The transformational effect of EU membership is visible everywhere in Croatia – from civil rights to the opportunities that EU membership offers to young and old, through tourism, the strength of your economy, to investments in projects.” These were the words of Roberta Metsola on the last day of her two-day official visit to Croatia celebrating ten years of Croatia’s membership in the EU, writes Jutarnji. “Croatia’s path as a member state (of the EU) is a success story,” she added.
Roberta MEtsola: Croatia’s EU membership is a ‘win-win’
Metsola said that Croatia has shown that the country is capable of “overcoming any challenge” and that by joining the EU, it “changed the course of history, its history and the history of Europe”.
“Your recognizable red and white checkerboard – whether worn by Luka Modrić or waved by Andrej Plenković – has become a symbol for all Europeans,” she said.
“It is a symbol that shows that membership (in the EU) is a win-win situation – it is never one-sided,” she added.
She particularly emphasized the construction of the Pelješac Bridge, as she said, one of the EU’s largest investments in infrastructure.
By connecting the south of Dalmatia with the rest of Croatia and the European Union, the Pelješac bridge “tangibly improved the lives of so many people, and symbolically represents what Croatia is – a builder of bridges between nations – and shows our commitment to connecting people”.
In her speech, the President of the European Parliament pointed out that Europe is facing several crises – from the “illegal and brutal” invasion of Ukraine, through inflation and the situation with energy sources, to the climate crisis.
“There are many challenges, and they are simultaneous, but I know that we have the capacity, resilience and ability to come out of it stronger than before,” she said.
She thanked Croatia and its leadership for their solidarity with Ukraine and their “sympathy with all those fleeing war”.
