ZAGREB, November 9, 2019 - The Council for Croats Abroad on Saturday started a two-day session in Varaždin, with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković saying on that occasion that Croatia was proud of its diaspora and that his government's goal was to create conditions facilitating the return of a part of the expatriate community.
"The fact that Croats live in many countries and that many contribute to their homeland... with their business, cultural, artistic, sports and other activities reflects the great unity of the Croatian nation and of the expatriate community and the homeland. That unity is high on the government's list of priorities," said Plenković.
He went on to say that financial support to projects for Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina had been increased by more than 50% and that support to Croat minority communities in neighbouring countries had been doubled.
"In the last three years we have financed 1,537 projects around the world worth HRK 115 million," said Plenković.
He said that Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina should have a status equal to that of the other two constituent ethnic groups, the Serbs and the Bosniaks.
"I hope that recent media reports indicate a change in the right direction regarding an agreement between political parties, primarily the HDZ BiH and the SDA, on changes to the election law so that anomalies are removed and situations are prevented in which Croats are outvoted in elections for key bodies of representation," Plenković said.
He underlined Croatia's unreserved support to Bosnia and Herzegovina's journey to EU membership, and noted that special account had to be taken of the Croat community in Serbia.
"Everything that happens in Croatia with regard to the Serb minority reflects instantaneously on the status of Croats in Serbia. That is why it is important to understand our policy and its impact on the status of the Croat minority," the PM said at the start of the session of the Council for Croats Abroad.
Addressing the session, Council chair Ivan Grbešić wondered whether Croatia was ashamed of its diaspora.
Grbešić believes that someone is afraid of the diaspora because the ministry of charge of it no longer exists, and he also noted that the number of seats for diaspora representatives in the national parliament had been reduced from 12 to 3.
He said that Croats living abroad had fought for the country together with defenders in the country.
Grbešić cited successes of Croat expatriates, from sports to business, and noted that a large number of Croat expatriates spent their holidays in Croatia.
In the period from 1991 to 2011, around 100 million dollars arrived in Croatia from the diaspora and according to some indicators, around 2 million euros arrives every year, he said.
Grbešić welcomed recent amendments to the Citizenship Act and noted that now a government campaign was required to encourage new generations of expatriates to apply for and obtain Croatian citizenship.
The main topics of the two-day session of the Council for Croats Abroad are the possibility of electronic voting, preservation of the Croatian language and identity in the diaspora, the status of Bosnia and Herzegovina Coats, and maximising the services of Croatian Radio and Television for Croats abroad.
More diaspora news can be found in the dedicated section.
