Croatia In The EU By 2012

However that is the most optimistic scenario, on the condition that reforms are sped up and economic growth of more than five percent.

Analysts of the Raiffeisen Bank in their latest analysis forecast that Croatia in the most optimistic scenario could become a member of the EU 2012, and only if it speeds up reforms and economic growth to more than five percent. According to that, Croatia would have to increase economic growth to 5.5 percent by 2009 at the latest so before the entry into the EU it would reach 6.5 percent.

By 2012 Croatia would have to nearly double its gross domestic product per capita to 13,719 euros from the current 7,600 euros. Foreign debt would have to be limited to 80 percent of GDP, public debt to 41 percent, and the trade deficit to 13 percent GDP.

In a pessimistic scenario in which Croatia maintains an economic growth rate between 4 and 4.5 percent, Croatia according to the assessment of the analysts, does not have enough economic space to accelerate the required reforms. In that scenario analysts estimate that Croatia could forget about membership in the EU maybe until 2017, written by Jutarnji list.