Croatians to select national motif for euro coins – 5 shortlisted options  

(Pixabay/public domain/unsplash)

ZAGREB, 1 July 2021 – Croatia is expected to meet all requirements and join the eurozone in early 2023, the nation’s prime minister said last week.

Whilst euro banknotes are the same in all countries, the coins also have a side on which the national symbols of individual eurozone countries are printed, and they are also used throughout the euro area. 

The motif on the national side of euro coins that will be in circulation in Croatia after the introduction of the euro will be chosen by Croatian citizens.  Croatians can now vote on five shortlisted motifs. The five motifs are:

Map of Croatia

Red and white checkers

Kuna (Marten – name of current Croatian currency)

Glagolitic alphabet 

(Photo: Neoneo 13/Public domainCC)

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Rating of the options is open from 1-15 July on the website euro.hr and is done by giving each option a rating from 1-5 stars (five being the best). There is also the possibility for citizens to give a suggestion on a motif themselves. 

The National Plan for the Exchange of the Croatian Kuna with the Euro, adopted by the Government in December 2020, envisages the selection of motifs and their graphic design for the national side of euro coins, and the Croatian National Bank is designated as the institution to procure euro banknotes and coins.

The commission for the selection of the national side’s design solution on the euro coin selected nine motifs, including Nikola Tesla, a Dalmatian dog, Vrančić’s Homovolans (drawing of a parachute) and King Tomislav. The commission will also conduct a national survey on a sample of a thousand Croatian citizens, the results of which will be published and have an advisory character in the final selection.

At least three motifs are chosen, and a public / direct call for the design will be published in August. Croatia will send the proposal of the national side of euro coins to the European Commission, for approval to all members of the euro area. Drafting should begin six months before the introduction of the euro, following the EU Council’s decision to introduce the euro to Croatia.

The selection criteria includes the acceptability of the motif to the general public, regardless of regional affiliation, age, worldview or political affiliation, and the effectiveness of the motif to be a national symbol, ie to achieve a high degree of identification in the general public. 

It is also crucial that the motif represents Croatia, whether through generally accepted symbols, giants, cultural or natural sights, inventions or historical events. An additional element is the technical feasibility of the motif on the small dimensions of the coins as well as the fact that the proposed motif is not subject to copyright,” Vecernji list reported.