ZAGREB, November 16, 2018 – Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in Opatija on Thursday that a referendum on the introduction of the euro was held at the same time as the referendum on Croatia’s European Union accession, during the vote on the Treaty of Accession “which says Croatia will join the euro area.”
“Therefore a referendum was held,” he said, responding to questions from the press about a euro referendum.
Asked about the chances of Croatia entering the European Exchange Rate Mechanism II as early as 2020, Plenković said the indicators were good regarding compliance with the Maastricht criteria. He added that Croatia had a euro introduction strategy and that a letter was being drawn up, to be forwarded by the minister of finance and the central bank governor, about the steps Croatia would take to enter the said mechanism, which is a prerequisite for joining the euro area.
Asked about dilemmas as to whether introducing the euro meant giving up a part of one’s sovereignty, Plenković said “the European Union is bringing sovereignty together, thereby strengthening all the states within the European project.”
“The euro is one of the closer integrations… Our goal is perfectly clear, strategically defined, confirmed at a referendum and adopted both in the accession negotiations and the Treaty of Accession. It is all part of the European project which, since 1990, has been the strategic commitment of all Croatian governments, all parliaments, all leaderships. There’s no dilemma here. It is a policy of continuity and something that is in Croatia’s interest,” said Plenković.
Later in the day, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković held a lecture for law students at the 74th International Council Meeting of the European Law Students’ Association taking place in Opatija this week.
Plenković spoke about the current situation in Croatia and its future goals, identifying as his government’s priorities entry into the euro area and the Schengen area of passport-free movement.
ELSA brings together 52,000 law students from 44 European countries.
As a student, Plenković was the founder of ELSA Croatia, its president and the president of the ELSA International Board in 1993.
For more on the relations between Croatia and the European Union, click here.
