The Croatian Parliament’s Committee for European Affairs convened on Tuesday to introduce Dubravka Šuica, Croatia’s candidate for the European Commission member for the 2024-2029 term. During the session, Sanja Bježančević, a Member of Parliament from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and a committee member, raised concerns about Šuica’s performance in her previous role as Commissioner for Demography and Democracy. Bježančević criticized Šuica for failing to curb the massive wave of emigration from Croatia, particularly from Slavonia, during her last term, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.
In response, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković defended Šuica, stating, “Regarding depopulation or the use of the right to freedom of movement since Croatia joined the European Union, Croatia has experienced what all Eastern and Central European member states went through when they became members.” He further explained that since January 1, 2013, following the standard labor market regulations of two plus three years plus two years, Croatia has had open freedom of movement, without the need for work permits or quotas for Croatian citizens. “Our citizens’ diplomas and qualifications are recognized equally, just as those of any other EU citizen,” he added.
Plenković emphasized that Croatia’s emigration trends are not unique and are part of a natural process seen in other Eastern and Central European countries after joining the EU. He pointed out that ten countries, including Slovenia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Bulgaria, experienced similar patterns following the 2004 and 2008 expansions of the European Union.
However, recent reports suggest that Plenković’s statement may be misleading. Although Croatia has undergone similar emigration processes as these countries, it appears to have fared the worst. Research indicates that the reasons for Croatian citizens leaving in large numbers are not solely economic. Many are motivated by a perception of Croatia as a corrupt country where hard work is undervalued.
Emigration Statistics Paint a Concerning Picture
Data from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS) reveals that from 2013 to 2023, a staggering 389,197 people left Croatia. Until 2016, the annual number of Croats emigrating did not exceed 30,000. However, after the first term of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) government under Plenković began on October 19, 2016, the numbers spiked. The DZS reported an increase from 29,651 emigrants in 2015 to 36,436 in 2016, and a further rise to 47,352 in 2017. That year marked a record high, with a 272.9% increase in departures compared to 2011.
During Plenković’s three terms as Prime Minister, the number of Croats emigrating annually remained above 39,000, with the exception of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic led to a temporary decrease, with 34,046 people leaving the country.
Nenad Pokos and Ivo Turk from the Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences have corroborated these findings in their study, “Emigration Abroad 2011–2021 by Smaller Territorial Units (Counties, Cities, and Municipalities).”
Croatia Among the Top EU Countries for Emigration
According to 2020 data from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, Croatia ranks second in terms of the percentage of citizens aged 20 to 64 working in other EU member states. With a share of 17.6%, Croatia is just behind Romania, which leads with 18.6%. For comparison, in 2010, this percentage was 9.9% of Croatia’s active working population. In contrast, Slovenia saw a much smaller increase, from 1.9% in 2010 to 3.5% in 2020.
These figures highlight the ongoing challenges Croatia faces as it seeks to address the underlying causes of its high emigration rates and improve conditions to retain its workforce.
Source link : https://www.thedubrovniktimes.com/news/croatia/item/16841-croatia-faces-high-emigration-rates-and-criticism-over-eu-integration-impact
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Publish date : 2024-08-25 07:00:00
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