Taking care of Croatian citizens abroad |
Over 331,000 new consular requests
Consular affairs encompass duties related to the protection of the rights and interests of the Republic of Croatia and its nationals residing or travelling abroad. These also include duties related to the visa system and visa policy, entry and residence of foreign nationals in Croatia, the use of national airspace and waters, issuing of passports, international legal assistance, registers, document legalisation, etc. Additionally, in 2009, the Ministry coordinated the presidential elections in diplomatic and consular missions in 55 countries with a total of 250 polling stations. The State Election Commission and the monitors assessed the presidential election abroad as successful.
In 2009, the Ministry received a total of 72,438 consular requests, of which 55,783 were cases related to international legal assistance, 5,722 to the residence of foreign nationals, 5,535 were applications for citizenship and passports, and 5,398 referred to visas.
The diplomatic and consular missions received a total of 259,386 requests. Most of these were applications for passports and visas, or were related to notary duties, registers and international legal assistance. A total of 93,851 visa applications and 50,879 passport applications were submitted at the 73 diplomatic and consular missions.
In March 2009, Canada lifted visa requirements for Croatian citizens. Visa requirements for Croatian nationals were also unilaterally lifted by Georgia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Haiti, and the Kingdom of Swaziland.
E-passport system connects 30 diplomatic and consular missions in network
Applications for diplomatic and official e-passports, and second generation regular electronic passports, whose issuing began on 1 July, are submitted at Croatian diplomatic and consular missions abroad. So far, 30 missions have been connected to the e-passport network. Although there are 73 Croatian diplomatic and consular missions engaged in consular affairs, the networked missions receive about 80 per cent of all passport applications.
Harmonisation of Croatian legislation concerning foreign nationals with the acquis communautaire and other EU standards has continued in 2009. Croatia introduced new visas, whose security was enhanced to increase the level of protection against forgery.
The Croatian Visa Database, a unique state level information system connecting all relevant bodies in Croatia with Croatian diplomatic
missions, consular offices, and border crossings, was further developed. By the end of 2009, the new system was successfully introduced in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, the Ministry of the Interior and the first 25 diplomatic and consular missions. The setting up of such a system is a requirement for future inclusion in the EU Visa Information System.
In 2009, new international visa agreements were signed: Agreement between the Republic of Croatia and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on Exemption of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic and Service/Official Passports (signed in Hanoi on 29 October) and Agreement between the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Hungary on the Cooperation in the field of Handling Visa Applications at the Embassy of the Republic of Hungary in Moldova (signed in Barcs on 17 September).
HRK 1.5 million for Croatian minorities
The Ministry bases its care for the position and status of Croatian autochthonous minorities in European countries, and the exercise of their minority rights, on the implementation and respect of European standards in protecting minorities in their residing countries. At the same time, it supports ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic awareness and the right to the particularities of one's own cultural life
and national traditions. It monitors changes in the migration policies and legislation of recipient countries, and the legal and political position of Croatian minorities living in these countries. It continuously maintains and develops co-operation with representatives of Croatian minority organisations and co-operates with and co-ordinates the relevant institutions at home and abroad, in terms of exercising minority rights. The Ministry also initiates and participates in the drafting and implementation of bilateral agreements on the protection of minorities.
The Ministry has also co-financed certain minority activities abroad, through projects for which financial resources were approved in the 2009 State Budget. A total of HRK 1.5 million (EUR 202.000) were allocated to Croatian national minorities abroad. The following table gives an overview of the funding for minority projects according to country:
| Country | Amount in EUR |
|---|---|
| Austria | 25,000.00 |
| Bulgaria | 1,500.00 |
| Montenegro | 15,000.00 |
| The Czech Republic | 5,000.00 |
| Country | Amount in EUR |
|---|---|
| Italy | 20,000.00 |
| Kosovo | 5,000.00 |
| Hungary | 21,500.00 |
| Macedonia | 15,000.00 |
| Romania | 11,000.00 |
| Slovakia | 8,000.00 |
| Slovenja | 20,000.00 |
| Serbia | 55,000.00 |
| Total | 202,000.00 |
The Croatian-Macedonian Intergovernmental Mixed Committee for Monitoring the Rights of Minorities, established on the basis of the agreement between the two respective governments on the protection of minority rights, held its first session in Skopje on 27 January. The Croatian-Serbian Mixed Committee for the protection of minority rights, which has met three times so far, held its last session in Belgrade on 14 and 15 October after a three-year break. The Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Agreement between the
Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Hungary on the Protection of the Croatian Minority in Hungary and the protection of the Hungarian Minority in Croatia held its 11th session in Zagreb on 1 December.
Emigrants awarded 393 scholarships
Croatian expatriates who are at school or studying in Croatia were awarded 393 scholarships in 2009. Additionally, 75 Croats living abroad were granted scholarships to attend the autumn and spring semesters of Croaticum, the Croatian language course held at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Zagreb, and Croatica, held at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Split.
Special attention was given to maintaining contacts with Croatian emigrants and providing them with timely information, through the web page Information for Croats Abroad. The basic objective of this web page is to provide an all-in-one source of information for Croats wishing to travel or permanently return to Croatia, and for facilitating their integration into the economic, educational, cultural and other aspects of life in Croatia.
In 2009, resources were also provided for financing programmes and projects pertaining to the interests of Croats in Bosnia and
Herzegovina. A total of 418 programmes and projects were selected in a public tender, for which funds were allocated from the Croatian State Budget.
In 2009, financial support was also allocated to a total of 21 programmes run by various associations that foster co-operation and friendship between states.
The exhibition of Croatian emigrants’ publishing activities “Croatian Books Abroad” was organised in co-operation with the Croatian Heritage Foundation at INTERLIBER, an international book fair held at the Zagreb Trade Fair from 11 to 15 November.