Croatia was quick to sign up to America's suggestion of
creating an LNG infrastructure, and now in this new deal with Austria and
Bavaria, that capacity is set to double. Croatia is set to become an energy hub
for southern and central Europe as LNG can be brought in via the Adriatic.
In addition to new investment from both Europe and abroad,
Zagreb is only weeks away from joining the Schengen Treaty, a major step toward
Croatia becoming integrated with the rest of Western Europe.
Of the former Yugoslav republics, Slovenia and Croatia have
been the most successful and stable. Other states like Bosnia and Kosovo face ongoing
troubles and Serbia remains a thorn in the side of the EU, a near-pariah state.
Croatia is historically part of the West. With the rise of
Yugoslavia and with the divisions of the Cold War, the nation became associated
with the East and yet the nation is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic and
historically associated with Hungary and the Habsburgs of Austria, with the
coastal regions having historic ties to Venice. In fact Croatia sided with
Austria in 1848 against Hungary. They bitterly resented the long years of
Hungarian domination and always preferred direct imperial rule from Vienna.
Even when Hungary was under the sway of the Habsburgs, the Hungarians dominated
Croatia – which was effectively part of their kingdom for eight hundred years.
This reached a low-point after the creation of the dual
monarchy in 1867. At that point Budapest all but had its way with them and
suppressed their culture by means of Magyarisation. While many of the nations
of the Balkans resented the Habsburgs, the Croats always viewed them as the
protectors and willingly submitted to them.
Integration has been easier for Croatia – a land that
experienced the Renaissance and Enlightenment despite some rough patches in its
history and some dark chapters in the twentieth century.
I raise this point only to contrast Croatia with two other
NATO-EU states whose Schengen applications continue to be rejected – Romania
and Bulgaria. The reasons for this are many. There are issues with border
controls, immigration, and corruption. These nations have been brought into the
EU and Atlanticist orbit and have been favourites of Washington and yet the
European Establishment is clearly nervous about open borders, and afraid of the
economic impacts of such a move. With Bulgaria there is the additional
difficulty surrounding its border with Turkey, making it and Greece the
backdoors of Europe.
If immigrants from the Middle East and Africa can make it
into Bulgaria, they would have (under Schengen) an open road all across Europe
and at this point Brussels clearly does not trust that Sophia can properly
police the situation.
For the Croats, this integration into Europe is a
century-long dream. With the break-up of the Habsburg Empire in the aftermath
of WWI, the Croats feared isolation as a little country overshadowed by history
and the claims of powerful neighbours. As such, they joined the South Slav
union which became Yugoslavia, but that meant that after WWII (and a terrible
episode of fascism) they were behind the Iron Curtain, and associated with the
nations under Russia's thumb. This wasn't actually the case with Yugoslavia,
but the Croats have always resented being isolated from what they feel is their
proper place in the history and heritage of Central Europe. Now, for good or ill,
they have it and given the present energy crisis they stand to benefit from a
new status and standing within the EU. It will be interesting to see if after a
few more years within the EU framework whether or not nationalism begins to
rear its head.
They've come a long way since I traveled across that country
back in the 1990's – on my way to Hungary. Even then, Slovenia felt like an
extension of Northeast Italy and Southern Austria. Croatia felt different. It
felt like I had crossed a frontier. I would be curious to go back today. It
sounds as if things have really changed.
See also:
https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2021/03/obedient-croatia-and-lng-terminal-on.html
https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2020/06/rome-and-croatia-ustase-legacy.html
https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2017/03/croatian-proxies-and-balkan-strategy.html
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