Croatia has upgraded its borders since becoming the 28th Member State of the European Union on 1 July, 2013.

The country has seen its border policemen triple to around 6,000, with a stricter form of passport and customs control. Croatia’s main problem is that it lies on the notorious ‘Balkan smuggling route’ used to ferry contraband drugs as well as illegal immigrants from Africa and the Middle East into Western Europe.

Although Croatia will not automatically join the EU’s passport-free Schengen zone on July 1, it is under pressure to meet with the criteria and achieve its goal in 2 years' time.