Thursday's decision by the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council to admit Croatia into the Schengen passport-free travel area is important for Croatia and the result of the hard work of all of its institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman said on Friday.

With accession to the Schengen area, Croatia has achieved all its strategic goals and foreign policy priorities, the foreign minister said, adding that of the 281 recommendations received, 54 concerned the implementation of common visa policy.

The Croatian embassies in Moscow and Pristina underwent special checks because they were issuing a large number of visas at the time.

The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs was granted €3 million from EU funds to complete three important tasks – upgrade the Croatian information and visa system and connect it to the EU system, adjust physical and technical security standards at diplomatic and consular missions to align them with Schengen standards, and enhance the knowledge and skills of consular staff.

On 1 January 2023, the day of accession to the Schengen area, Croatian embassies and consulates will start issuing visas that are valid in all Schengen member states, Grlic-Radman said.

“We are joining the circle of 15 countries that are all members of NATO, the EU, the euro area and the Schengen area, which puts Croatia at the core of EU integration,” he concluded.