Croatia and the European Union ─ Changes and Development

The accession of Croatia to the EU marked the end of a long and arduous period of transition. Croatia had to meet significantly higher criteria than previous states with suspicion and concerns among existing members about further enlargement increasing. Meanwhile initially strong public support in Croatia declined as inconsistencies in EU policy, entry criteria and problems caused by the economic crisis all combined with fears about the loss of national identity and the ability to realize national interests. The successful Croatian accession to the EU in 2013 shows that, despite concerns on both sides, the EU continues to have meaning and significance and that membership remains highly desirable. Through nine mutually interrelated chapters the contributors speak not only about the political and social situation in Croatia, but also prospects for the European Union itself.

Pero Maldini is an associate professor at the Department of Communication Science at University of Dubrovnik and Head of Interdisciplinary Doctoral Study of Communication Science at University of Osijek. He teaches courses in political science. His research interests are comparative politics, democratization, democratic transition, political culture and Croatian politics. Davor PaukoviA? is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Science at University of Dubrovnik. He received his Ph.D. in contemporary history in 2010 from the University of Zagreb. He teaches courses in contemporary Croatian and world history. He is editor in chief of international journal for social sciences & humanities Contemporary Issues.