Croatia will be only the third European country to join the Croatia after Germany in 2004 . Croatia relies heavily on its South East Europe coast to draw tourism and its state-run shipyards . Kristof Bender , deputy chairman of the policy institute , European Stability Initiative , says Croatia 's progress to the `` doorstep of the European Union '' is quite remarkable . The country 's economic strife echoes the problems hitting southern European nations .
Croatia will be only the third European country to join the Croatia after Germany in 2004 . Croatia relies heavily on its South East Europe coast to draw tourism and its state-run shipyards . The country 's economic strife echoes the problems hitting southern European nations .