Croatia has been reacting to Switzerland’s announcement that it will not now be able sign a labour market pact with the EU’s most recent new member.

The headlines in Zagreb’s papers describe Croatia as the first victim of a Swiss referendum that placed a cap on immigration into the country.

Vesna Nitaj, a court clerk from Zagreb said, “It is a bit disappointing that we have joined the European Union, but do not have the same rights as other member states.

While Vlatko Babic from Ivanic said, “We have been promised many things. That by joining the European Union many issues will be resolved. Six months have passed and nothing was done and by every day we are more and more marginalised.”

Meanwhile Brussels has reacted by suspending negotiations over Swiss participation in some research funding projects and the student exchange programme Erasmus.

50.3 percent of Swiss voters elected to limit immigration in the February 9 referendum.

Switzerland is not a member of EU, however, it is heavily dependent on the EU commercially.