Croatian President Ivo Josipovic (R) holds a shirt he received from Lithuania\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s President Dalia Grybauskaite on the day Croatia became the 28th member of the European Union, Zagreb, June 30, 2013.<\/p>\n
Croatia has become the 28th member of the European Union, almost two decades after the country won independence in a bloody civil war that shook Europe.\n<\/p>\n
At midnight Sunday, about 20,000 people gathered at Ban Yela-Chic Square in the Croatian capital, Zagreb, celebrating the country\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s EU entry.\n<\/p>\n
Croatian President Ivo Josipovic said, \u00c5\u201cToday is a great and joyful day for our homeland. This is the day when we open a new chapter in the thick book of our history.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
More than 100 European dignitaries also participated in the event. However, many leaders of EU member states, including the UK, France and Germany were not present.<\/p>\n
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in an address to the crowd, \u00c5\u201cWelcome to the European Union!\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Commentators say the celebration was overshadowed by economic woes within Croatia since its economy has either been in recession or stagnant for the past four years.\n<\/p>\n
Official figures show that Croatia, where unemployment stands at around 20 percent, is now among the poorest EU states.\n<\/p>\n
Croatia has sought to join the European Union ever since it declared independence from the former Yugoslavia Republic – a move that sparked the bloody civil war of 1991-1995.\n<\/p>\n
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