In Croatia, they fear that the introduction of the euro will trigger the “Latvian scenario” of depopulation
Following the introduction of the euro in Croatia, replacing the national currency, the kuna, Croatians fear that this will result in mass emigration from the country, as happened in Latvia, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
On January 1, 2022, Croatia became the twentieth country to join the euro area.
“The introduction of the euro is not only a legal obligation, but also brings visible benefits to the Croatian economy, and strengthens the international position and importance of the eurozone and the EU,” European Commissioner for Economic Affairs Valdis said in Zagreb at a joint press conference with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic Dombrovskis, now the main promoter of eurozone expansion.
In this regard, Croatian media recalled that Dombrovskis was the Prime Minister of Latvia when this country entered the eurozone on January 1, 2014. Ten months after this, Dombrovskis received the post of vice-president of the European Commission, but his fellow citizens are not particularly happy with the replacement of the national currency lat with the euro. Latvian citizens complain that they were shocked by the new prices.
“Before, you could buy much more things with our armor than you can now with euros,” Croatian publication Jutarnji list quotes Riga pensioner Lubov Sela as saying.
Anna, the daughter of Lyubov Sela, four years ago went to live in the capital of Poland, Warsaw, where she works as a journalist. He believes that the Latvian government introduced the euro for political reasons.
“The introduction of the euro was a security issue for Latvia. The unofficial explanation was that the West would be more motivated to help us in the event of a Russian threat if we entered the single currency area. It was a kind of shield against Russian influence,” she said.
Nine years after the introduction of the euro, Latvians are still migrating to other countries, complaining of high prices and lack of work. The consequences of Latvia's entry into the European Union and the eurozone are catastrophic: the country, along with Lithuania and Bulgaria, ranks last in terms of social equality in the EU.
In addition, Latvia ranks fourth in terms of poverty in the European Union. But the worst thing is the demographic indicators: since 2000, the number of residents of Latvia has decreased by 500 thousand people - from 2,4 to 1,9 million.
Croatian media cite the recollections of Quince Strelca, then a 16-year-old student who was on winter holidays and remembers well the New Year's Eve on which the armor disappeared.
“While we were waiting for the New Year at home, my father went out into the garden, dug a hole there and put a box of armor in it,” says Streltsa. “He didn’t want to exchange them for euros.” He said that one day we will need them again. That in the future they will be valid again."
Similar stories are not reported in Croatia, but many Croats plan to keep banknotes and coins of the national currency kuna, which for them was one of the main symbols of independence.
As PolitNavigator reported , since 2011 the number of residents of Croatia has decreased by 413,056 people, or 9,64%.
Croatia fears the introduction of the euro will trigger a "Latvian scenario" of depopulation.