Croatia Says 'Yes' to EU Membership
Croatia's state referendum commission said that with nearly all ballots counted, about 66 percent of those who took part in the referendum answered "yes" to the question: "Do you support the membership of the Republic of Croatia in the European Union?"
The EU congratulated Croatians on their vote, saying it's good news for the whole Balkan region.
"The upcoming accession of Croatia sends a clear signal to the whole region of southeastern Europe," it said in a statement. "It shows that through political courage and determined reforms, EU membership is within reach."
Opponents said Croatia has nothing to gain by entering the bloc, which is fighting off the bankruptcy of some of its members. They said that Croatia will lose its sovereignty and the national identity it fought for in a war for independence from Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/croats-vote-eu-membership-referendum-15414259
Good for Croatia and the EU.
= new reply since forum marked as read
... export their unemployed through the ever-open doors to add to the burden
on the welfare states of the existing members ...
One would assume that the existing members of the EU know that opening their border to new countries that are not as well off carries some risk. They also know that their own long-term peace and prosperity is enhanced if prosperity is shared across the continent rather than each country jealously guarding its prosperity from each other country. (I know, not a very "American" approach to promoting domestic prosperity. )
BTW, the per capita GDP of Croatia is $20,000 so it's not exactly a poverty-ridden cesspool of a country. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Croatia