Preliminary communication
The Perception of the European Union Among the Croatian Public
Božo Skoko
; Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Attitudes of Croatian citizens towards the European Union and the outcome of the future referendum on the entry of the Republic of Croatia into this Community will be directly infl uenced by their perception of the European Union. By examining the perception of the European Union among the Croatian public, we can identify sticking points in the relationship between the European Union and Croatia, identify the causes of the decline of support of Croatian citizens for the entry of Croatia into the European Union and understand the possibility of changing this perception. Through an analysis of the relations between Croatia and Europe during the last two decades, the author notes the foundations of today’s perception of the European Union in the relations between Croatia and Europe during the collapse of Yugoslavia in 1991 and the creation of the Republic of Croatia. Today’s perception of the European Union is determined not only by specific expectations (benefi ts and detriments) in various aspects of social and economic life, but by general impressions of citizens about the European Union and Europe’s treatment of Croatia. The study reveals that the level of expectations, i.e., of hopes and fears and stereotypes concerning the European Union, is also determined by an insuffi cient level of information of citizens about various aspects of the workings of the European Union.
Keywords
European Union; Croatia; public opinion; perception
Hrčak ID:
38277
URI
Publication date:
15.5.2007.
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