The European Parliament voted on Thursday to support Croatia’s entry into the European Union’s visa-free Schengen area in January, a move that will boost the Adriatic nation’s tourism-dependent economy, according to Bloomberg.
The parliamentary vote followed a debate in which lawmakers assessed the readiness of the nation of 3.9 million to defend its borders and control immigration. The final decision still rests with the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council, which is expected to weigh in on the matter on December 9.
Croatia would be the first addition to the so-called Schengen area after Liechtenstein joined more than a decade ago. For the EU, the expansion means deepening a commitment to a former war-torn region after Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine underscored the risk of increasing Russian influence in the Balkans.
Fellow EU members Romania and Bulgaria have also long met the technical criteria for Schengen entry. However, some EU members have expressed reluctance over concerns on the countries’ ability to curb graft and uphold the rule of law.