Croatia has become the European Union’s 28th member, two decades after the country of 4.4 million emerged from a war of independence in Yugoslavia, media reported, according to RIA Novosti.
Crowds joined celebrations in the capital Zagreb, and EU signs were unveiled at border crossings. Customs duties ceased to be applied from midnight local time (22:00 GMT), the BBC reported Sunday.
Croatian President Ivo Josipovic has called the event historic, although after a long period of economic stagnation, not many Croatians are in the right mood to party, the British broadcaster said.
Croatia applied for EU membership 10 years ago.
Slovenia is the only other former Yugoslav republic that has been admitted to the EU since federal Yugoslavia’s breakup.
