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A mannequin with EU flags in a shop in Zagreb, Croatia yesterday AP Photo/Darko Bandic

Dobrodošli! Croatia becomes the 28th member of the EU

Croatia was first put on the list of candidate countries nine years ago and officially joined just after midnight today.

AFTER ALMOST A decade of negotiations, Croatia officially became the 28th member state of the European Union today.

Croatia was first put on the list of candidate countries nine years ago during Ireland’s last presidency of the EU and was formally cleared for membership in March of this year. It officially became a member of the economic and social bloc just after midnight on Monday.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore represented Ireland and the Irish presidency of the EU at the accession ceremony in Zagreb on Sunday night.

“Croatia’s accession is a testament to its people’s determination to put a troubled period behind them and is an inspiration for its neighbours in the region,” said Gilmore.

He said that he believed EU membership would be as “beneficial and transformational to Crotia as it has been to Ireland.”

Gilmore joined Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanović, the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, and the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso at the public event in Zagreb last night.

The accession is seen as proof that Croatia has recovered from the aftermath of the decade of war in Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Croatia was one of the seven countries which emerged from the former state after the multiple conflicts.

Read: EU enlargement ads are back – and not so ‘racist’ this time >

Read: President Higgins: Racism will rise if Europe does not focus on citizens >

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    Mute Mr Jingles
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    Aug 19th 2013, 5:48 PM

    Seen a couple of pics from slane. Let’s just leave it at would be mortified!

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    Mute Alan Walsh
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    Aug 19th 2013, 6:58 PM

    Despite the pictures you speak of not appearing in the headlines you still feel it necessary to continue the humiliation of that young girl, The actions of some people over the last two days have been atrocious. You would swear no one in this country made a mistake by the reaction.

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    Mute Mr Jingles
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    Aug 19th 2013, 8:04 PM

    Getting down on your knees for two lads in front of thousands is a bit more than a mistake. Why shouldn’t we be allowed to have a chuckle at it?

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    Mute Alan Walsh
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    Aug 19th 2013, 9:37 PM

    You could laugh at the girl and then again you could show some class and strength of character but instead you decide to be part of an execution squad who’s sole purpose in humiliation.

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    Mute Emmet Daly
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    Aug 19th 2013, 9:50 PM

    Ah yes. It’s us humiliating her. We forced her onto her knees in front of 70, 000 people. We should be ashamed of ourselves.

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    Mute Alan Walsh
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    Aug 19th 2013, 9:53 PM

    Because two wrongs always make a right, eh?

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    Mute Mr Jingles
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    Aug 19th 2013, 10:07 PM

    Exactly Emmet. It was all laugh at that young lad at the races that was so drunk he couldn’t get up the little hill

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    Mute Emmet Daly
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    Aug 19th 2013, 9:58 PM

    It sucks to her her

    Hahahahahahaha

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    Mute Emmet Daly
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    Aug 19th 2013, 9:58 PM

    *be

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