Croatian government had signed the treaty to join EU in 2013 around a month ago. Reasons to let them wait for years were: “Territorial disputes with Slovenia and demands for the arrest of war crimes suspects”. With arresting and sentencing the war criminal Ante Gotovina in april 2011, EU seems to be more pleased to let croatia enter the unstable circle of power. This weekend, the referendum went in favour for joining EU.
But, beneath better economical conditions for the ones in power, what should be the benefit for ordinary croatian people? As to be seen in bulgaria and romania, the peoples living conditions are not getting better, but the demands of the union are rather destructive. Better border equipment to fight the refugees, more neoliberal consequences from above and corrupt parliamentitions not only in the regional government but as well in the european one, so that they get even more money out of the system of bureaucracy.
Of course you have a majority of right wing enemies of EU. Nationalists, who feel their “identity” in danger, who are afraid to “loose for what they had fought for in the 90ies”. But as well groups and individuals from the progressive movements show resistance:
The anarcho-syndicalist organisation MASA from croatia started a campaign against EU and asked for international solidarity action. Some impressions, you can find here: http://www.masa-hr.org/ne-u-eu
The next steps, as it was in other new member states might be NATO and shengen border regime…
