Croatia’s Struggle Amid EU Integration and Rising Nationalism

Angry Croatian residents feel that affiliation with the European Union and the switch to the euro have undermined local economies, particularly in small inland towns like Kostajnica. The impact is visible in deserted neighborhoods with boarded-up homes, as opportunities dwindle and people leave for more prosperous parts of the EU. Many locals express a sense of betrayal, claiming that Croatia has given more to the union than it has reaped in return, leaving communities struggling to survive.

The report highlights the dramatic demographic and economic shifts that have followed years of political and social unrest since Croatia’s days as part of communist Yugoslavia. After the death of Josip Broz Tito and the subsequent brutal wars of independence in the 1990s, once vibrant towns have become sparsely populated as residents seek better fortunes abroad. The once-thriving town of Kostajnica, for instance, has shrunk significantly, with local businesses like even the funeral home emerging as the only profitable enterprise in an otherwise declining economy.

This growing disillusionment has also paved the way for rising nationalism, with more citizens rejecting the status quo in favor of policies that put Croatia’s interests first. The text captures the sentiment of a younger generation that sees little future in a country facing economic stagnation, a concern that echoes across the Balkans and could imperil broader European unity.