Croatian President: Certain Price Surges Cannot Be Put Down to Living Standards

BTA special correspondent Nikolay Trifonov, Diana Dukovska

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic at a joint news conference with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, Zagreb, July 14, 2025 (BTA Photo/Nikola Uzunov)

Zagreb,

14.07.2025 19:01

(BTA)

Asked about his country's experience as a eurozone member, Croatian President Zoran Milanovic said the prices of certain things, such as real estate, have been rising sharply, and this cannot be explained by the living standards. Milanovic and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev made a joint statement in Zagreb after a one-to-one meeting on Monday.

Radev is paying a two-day official visit to Croatia.

Croatia is the newest eurozone member, having joined on January 1, 2023 to become the 20th member of the monetary union. Bulgaria is set to become the next member after the Council of the EU unanimously adopted a decision on July 8 on the adoption by Bulgaria of the euro on January 1, 2026.

Every country knows what is best for itself, said Milanovic. Finances are at the heart of how a state functions. Bulgaria has aligned with the criteria for joining the eurozone, while Romania has not. It has a high budget deficit because it chooses to - that is Romania's decision, said the Croatian President.

He dismissed the claim that national currencies are no good. He said there is always powerful potential in having your own currency as a form of protecting the national interest. It is still too early to assess Croatia's experience with the euro. Once a decision is made, it must be carried through, he said, offering the following advice to Bulgarians: "Follow your own tradition and instincts".

Commenting on the Republic of North Macedonia's EU accession process, Milanovic said that President Gordana Siljanovska and Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, who belong to the same political party, firmly hold power and clearly do not wish to make compromises. He commented that he was not in a position to say who is right or wrong in the relations between Bulgaria and North Macedonia. "I will not put myself in a position to pity someone for not being able to join the EU because life exists outside the EU as well," he said.

The Croatian President said Ukraine stands no chance of becoming a stronger military power than Russia. There are statements from the powers that be in Brussels that the aim is for Ukraine to become stronger than Russia, but there is no chance to see that happen, he said.

Milanovic spoke of "the cynicism and hypocrisy of some European structures". Ukraine lacks a clearly defined territory and is unable to finance itself independently, he said. He called statements that Ukraine is closer to EU accession than Montenegro and North Macedonia "an insult" to those countries. "This is dishonest. We are destroying those countries," he said.

/RY/