Croatia's prime minister has told Sky News his people have a "reasonable amount of scepticism" about entering the European Union, with just hours until the country becomes a member.
Zoran Milanovic sought to dispel doubts about becoming the bloc's 28th addition as fireworks are prepared and foreign leaders arrive for celebrations at midnight on Sunday.
The ex-Yugoslav country is the first to join since Bulgaria and Romania came on board in 2007 and the government is hoping the move will attract badly needed foreign investment and boost the economy.
Mr Milanovic told Sky's Murnaghan show there was a "plethora" of good reasons for being part of the EU, despite the bloc's economic woes of recent years which have undermined the public's support.
Seven years of EU-guided reforms - including the sale of deeply indebted shipyards - in exchange for membership are seen to have dampened the enthusiasm of many Croatians.
Croatia PM: 'Economic failure not likely' Support for membership is now at just about 50% down from the 66% recorded during a referendum last year.
Referring to the low turnout for recent elections of Croatian MEPs, which Mr Milanovic said was below 21% of the electorate, he told Sky News: "When you say people are not enthusiastic, I think people are sober because this succession has been long overdue.
"Croatian citizens always retain a pinch of scepticism, so in relation to the EU you would hardly ever get in Croatia 100% support for any grand idea.
"It's a rational and reasonable amount of scepticism that's always present in Croatian society."
Concerns have been raised in other member states, such as Germany, that another new member with its own economic difficulties could prove to be a drain on the bloc, which itself is struggling with recession in nine member states and with the eurozone debt crisis.
Figures from the EU's statistics office show that Croatia, which has a population of 4.2 million, would be among the poorest members.
Mr Milanovic said: "We've been so closely scrutinised in the past that such failure is not likely to repeat.
"Our banking sector is doing well - it's kind of robust, but also inert in that people don't lend and people don't borrow, but that's a problem we see throughout Europe, don't we?"
Croatia is joining two decades after declaring independence from federal Yugoslavia, which triggered four years of war in which some 20,000 people died.
It will not yet join the 17-nation single currency zone, nor the visa-free Schengen zone.
The transition will be marked at midnight with the "Customs" sign being removed at a border crossing with Slovenia, the only other ex-Yugoslav republic to have joined the EU since the break-up of the ex-communist federation.
At the same time the EU sign will be put up on the border with Serbia.
Both events will be broadcast live at the main square of the Croatian capital, Zagreb.
Heads of state from all six former Yugoslav republics will attend the celebrations, but leaders of EU members including Britain, France and Germany will not be present.
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