European Parliament Votes to Support Croatia’s Schengen Entry
- Croatia hopes to join EU’s visa-free travel zone in January
- EU Justice and Home Affairs Council to decide issue next month
Visitors to the Old Town in Dubrovnik, Croatia. More than 10 million Europeans vacation in Croatia each summer.
Photographer: Oliver Bunic/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The European Parliament voted Thursday to support Croatia’s entry into the European Union’s visa-free travel regime in January, a move that will boost the Adriatic nation’s tourism-dependent economy and ease passage for more than 10 million Europeans who vacation in Croatia each summer.
The parliamentary vote followed a debate in which lawmakers assessed the readiness of the nation of 3.9 million to defend its borders and control immigration. The final decision still rests with the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council, which is expected to weigh in on the matter on Dec. 9.