"This year, we celebrate Statehood Day only a few days before our country joins the European Union. From the creation of the new Croatian state, whose preservation we owe to the Croatian defenders, the heroes of the Homeland War, and to the patriotism of our citizens, until now, the generational goal of our policy has been Euro-Atlantic integration," the president said.

"We are already an established NATO member and tomorrow we will be an EU member as well," he said, adding that many people wondered if we did the right thing. "Have we, by entering Europe, ensured benefit for our country, a foundation for further progress? Or have we, by entering the community of European peoples and states, easily renounced our sovereignty, natural resources, culture, tradition and national identity?"

Josipovic said Croatia had "already profited from Europe" and that he was referring less to pre-accession funds and more to the fact that during the negotiations, by meeting EU criteria, Croatia had become a better society. "We have strengthened democracy, human rights, established ourselves on the international scene, reconciled with our neighbours, strengthened our institutions and begun the fight against corruption."

He warned, however, that "we are far from perfect. The state still doesn't function as we would like it to and the tough economic situation has brought many companies to ruin and many citizens to poverty."

Justice hangs by "the thinnest thread", which is the economy and the fact that many citizens are in debt and without the minimum income that would enable them and their families to live decently, he said.

Therefore, there is no task more important for the government than to set economic activity in motion, encourage investments, create jobs, promote a socially responsible way of doing business and follow the principles of the welfare state, said Josipovic.

"Because of that, because of the opportunity that EU membership offers through the considerable financing that will be at our disposal, because of the expected interest of new investors, because of the big market opening to us, because of the possibility of development which all new members have felt, I see the EU as an incentive, an important instrument to overcome the crisis."

The EU is in a crisis too, but Croatia can overcome its crisis more easily by deciding together with other EU countries, with states which unite their sovereignties for their common interests, said Josipovic.

He said the EU was "much more than just a market," that it was "a project of peace and security, a project of cooperation in culture, science, education and democracy." In such an environment, regardless of the crisis, Croatia has an opportunity which it did not have before, an opportunity which perhaps it will not have again in the foreseeable future, he added.

"Europe is also an opportunity to strengthen our self-awareness, culture and tradition. By becoming Europeans, we don't stop being Croatians or members of one of our national minorities. Our too rich cultures and traditions will have the opportunity to establish themselves as a valuable part of the global European culture. The multiple identities, national as well as the common European, are the foundation of European unity."

In his message, the president also recalled challenges such as the strengthening of democracy, human and minority rights, the pluralism of ideas, values and expectations, and the tough competition of political ideas.

"The high civilisation standards presuppose society's ability to democratically discuss all topics, including the most sensitive world-view issues. They also mean the ability to find answers to those questions which don't insult, let alone discriminate against anyone. Those standards mean the ability to preserve social cohesion and stability despite world-view, political and other differences," the president said in his Statehood Day message.