European Union governments sign an accession treaty on Friday to bring Croatia into the 27-state bloc in July 2013 with a sense of relief it may be the last Balkan state to join for years, according to Reuters. It will be a momentous occasion for the former Yugoslav republic but for the EU the milestone is set to be overshadowed by efforts to tackle the euro zone debt crisis. In the longer term, EU governments hope that Croatia's success in meeting tough entry criteria will persuade other aspiring states in the Balkans that reforms pay off, paving way for them to join eventually. But for now, many are eager for a respite from further enlargement and the associated costs as the debt crisis rages. Croatia's treaty will be signed at the same summit in Brussels on Friday where EU heads of state will discuss drastic plans to redesign EU institutions to arrest the euro crisis. Fortunately, the new southern member state of 4.3 million people - adding less than one percent to the EU's population - will not be a heavy burden on the EU's troubled finances. The signing wraps up a near-decade-long accession process.
