Croatia lifted its air borders for passengers traveling to or from the Schengen Zone, marking a significant milestone in the country’s integration into the broader European family.
As of Sunday, planes departing to or arriving from the zone were treated as domestic flights, with no document control required.
The removal of the air border checks was reconfirmed by the country’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenković last Wednesday.
“As of this Sunday, Croatia completes its membership in the Schengen area,” the PM said.
“The regime of entry into Croatia at airports will now be the same as it has been in force since January 1 on roads, railway crossings, and seaports. Practically all flights to Croatia from Schengen countries and vice versa become domestic flights, without any document control,” he pointed out following a government meeting.
The festive mood at border crossings was highlighted by a special gift for the last Croatian citizen to enter the zone before all checks were removed at Bregana — a large teddy bear wearing a border patrol uniform.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called it “a day for history books,” while Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković hailed the “immense achievements” of member Croatia, saying the EU has “never seen such unity.”
Croatia officially joined the Schengen Zone on 1 January 2023, but waited until Sunday to lift its air borders to align with summer flight schedules. The country, an EU member state since 2013, now serves as the zone’s point of entry for neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro, all EU membership candidates and former Yugoslav republics together with Slovenia and Croatia.
Before joining the Schengen Zone, Slovenia was tasked with safeguarding the zone’s boundary. However, with Croatia now a part of the zone, the borders between Croatia and its neighbors, and the natural surroundings that Croatia belongs to, are gone, said Croatian Interior Minister Davor Božinović.
The move is expected to boost Croatia’s tourism sector and attract more visitors to its stunning Adriatic Sea coast.