▁good ▁use ▁of ▁its ▁proxim ity ▁to ▁Austria ▁and ▁its ▁work force , ▁and ▁developed ▁into ▁a ▁major ▁trans it - ▁and ▁cultural ▁centre ▁of ▁northern ▁Sloven ia , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁enabled ▁by ▁T ito ' s ▁decision ▁not ▁to ▁build ▁an ▁Iron ▁Cur tain ▁at ▁the ▁borders ▁with ▁Austria ▁and ▁Italy ▁and ▁to ▁provide ▁pass ports ▁to ▁all ▁Y ug oslav ▁citizens . ▁ ▁When ▁Sloven ia ▁se ced ed ▁from ▁Y ug oslav ia ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁the ▁Y ug oslav ▁market ▁sever ely ▁stra ined ▁the ▁city ' s ▁economy , ▁which ▁was ▁based ▁on ▁heavy ▁industry . ▁The ▁city ▁saw ▁a ▁record ▁un emp loyment ▁rate ▁of ▁nearly ▁ 2 5 %. ▁After ▁Sloven ia ▁entered ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁introduced ▁the ▁Euro ▁currency ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁Sch engen ▁treat y , ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁border ▁controls ▁between ▁Sloven ia ▁and ▁Austria ▁ceased ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁The ▁economic ▁situation ▁of ▁Mar ib or ▁after ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 9 0 s ▁crisis ▁w ors ened ▁again ▁with ▁the ▁on set ▁of ▁global ▁economic ▁crisis ▁combined ▁with ▁the ▁European ▁so ver eign - de bt ▁crisis . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁Mar ib or ▁saw ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 2 – 1 3 ▁Mar ib or ▁protest s ▁which ▁spread ▁into ▁ 2