From 1 January – That will be different for Croatia in the new year

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As of January 1, 2023, Croatia will be the 27th country to join the Schengen area. On this day, the previous controls at the land borders with Slovenia and Hungary and at the sea border with Italy expire. In addition, the youngest EU member introduces the euro. The previous national currency, the Kuna, will be replaced by the common European currency.

Croatia thereby assumes responsibility for securing the approximately 1,350 km long new southern external border of the Schengen area to the EU candidates Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro. As of March 26, air traffic control will also be abolished.

Hours of traffic jams can come to an end
The accession to Schengen should make traveling to the holiday destination popular with Austrians a lot easier. At midnight on January 1, the border barriers at the previous border crossings with Slovenia and Hungary will open and transit will be possible without stopping. Especially in summer, travelers are often stuck in traffic jams at the Slovenian-Croatian border for hours.

A total of 73 Croatian border checkpoints with Slovenia and Hungary will be closed at the national border. According to the authorities, free passage corridors will be built first and later the infrastructure at the border crossings will also be largely removed.

At the borders with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, where the former EU external border becomes the Schengen border, the Croatian authorities do not expect any particularities after joining the Schengen area. Croatia has already carried out checks there according to Schengen rules at border crossings.

Slovenian-Croatian border becomes internal border
Not only Croatia has prepared for the Schengen expansion, but also neighboring Slovenia, which previously handled the Schengen external border. The Slovenian-Croatian border, which is about 670 kilometers long, is now becoming an internal border that can be crossed anywhere, anytime and without identity checks.

The Adriatic country is the 20th country to join the euro border
Croatia will not only join the Schengen area at the beginning of this year, but will also be the 20th country to adopt the euro. According to Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, the Adriatic country, which joined the EU in 2013, thus fulfills its strategic objectives. The final preparations are in full swing, according to the Croatian authorities there are no problems, everything is going according to plan. The conversion is based on an exchange rate of 7.53450 kuna for one euro.

To make the transition to the euro easier for citizens, the previous national currency will be valid alongside the euro for 14 days after the introduction of the euro. During this time you can still pay with kuna, but the change will already be given in euros. From 15 January, the euro will be the only official currency in Croatia.

However, no major celebrations are planned, the accession to Schengen and the euro should be celebrated symbolically with the presence of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

Source: Krone

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