Advanced search
image
Travel & living abroad

Europe

Croatia

 Flag of Croatia

Last reviewed: 01 February 2008

Country information

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Croatia's Relations with Neighbours

Since Tudjman's death, subsequent governments have made considerable efforts to normalise Croatia's relations with her neighbours. . For example, Prime Minister Sanader and President Mesic have both made state visits to Bosnia & Herzegovina and Serbia, and Croatia has played a constructive role in the South East Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP).  These efforts underline Croatia’s commitment to regional co-operation.  In general relationships with neighbouring states continue to develop well, although there has been limited progress on a handful of bilateral issues, in particular regarding borders.


Croatia's relations with the UK

The UK established diplomatic relations with Croatia on 25 June 1992.  Relations have gone from strength to strength since the arrest of General Ante Gotovina and his transfer to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague (ICTY) in December 2005.  Croatia’s relations with the UK are currently excellent. 

Under this Britain provides both political and practical support to Croatia’s efforts to join the EU and NATO, while Croatia commits to play an important and increasingly proactive role in its region and beyond (e.g.).  

UK-Croatia Strategic Partnership

The UK fully supports Croatia’s EU and NATO entry bids. The 2008-09 ‘UK-Croatia Strategic Partnership’ was launched in London on 18 June by Prime Minster Gordon Brown and Prime Minister Ivo Sanader. It is the framework for bilateral co-operation. The UK is providing £600k of bilateral assistance, and 17.5% of the EU's Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) funding. Projects cover judicial reform, anti-corruption, organised crime, competition policy and food safety. But the relationship is very much a two-way street - the positive role Croatia can play, and is playing, in bringing the Western Balkans closer to the EU is a key element of the partnership. , as is Croatia’s contribution to the NATO mission in Afghanistanand their constructive work in the UN Security Council.

British Council

Recent Visits

Inward

  • 18 June 2008 – Prime Minister Ivo Sanader met with Prime Minster Gordon Brown
  • 6 December 2007 - Chief Negotiator for the Accession of Croatia to the EU, Vladimir Drobnjak met the Minister for Europe, Jim Murphy
  • 18 July 2006 – Prime Minister Ivo Sanader met Prime Minister Tony Blair in London.
  • 12 January 2006 – Chief Negotiator for the Accession of Croatia to the EU, Vladimir Drobnjak met the Minister for Europe, Douglas Alexander.
  • 7 - 8 December 2005- President Mesic attended a dinner organised by the East West Institute at which Tony Blair was honoured with the statesman of the decade award, and met Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.
  • 29 - 30 November 2005 - President Mesic gave a lecture at the Oxford Union, and met the Lord Mayor of London, the President of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and other business leaders.
  • 27 October 2005 - Mr Ivo Sander, visited the UK to attend the EU informal summit at Hampton Court Palace and me the Prime Minister.
  • 20 - 21 October 2005 - Mr Neven Ljubicic, Minister of Health, attended the informal Health Ministerial Conference in Chandler's Cross, Hertfordshire and met the Health Secretary, Patricia Hewitt.
  • 9 - 12 September 2005 - Mr Petar Cobankovic, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, attended the Agriculture and Environment Informal Ministerial summit of EU Agriculture and Environment Ministers in London and met the Environment Secretary, Margaret Beckett.
  • 8 - 9 September 2005 - Vesna Skare Ozbolt, Minister of Justice, and Ivica Kirin, Minister of Interior, attend the Justice and Home Affairs Informal Ministerial summit of EU Justice and Interior Ministers in Newcastle and met the Home Secretary, Charles Clarke.
  • 1 - 2 September 2005 - Ms Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, Minister for European Integration, visited the UK for the Gymnich Informal Ministerial summit of EU Foreign Ministers in Newport and met the Foreign Secretary.
  • 10 - 14 July 2005, Parliamentary Delegation from Croatia visited the UK and met Douglas Alexander MP, Minister for Europe.
  • 22 - 24 June 2005 - Mr Filip Dragovic, Assistant Minister for European Integration and Peacekeeping Operations.
  • 20-23 June 2004 – Mr Vladimir SEKS, Speaker of the Croatian Parliament visited the UK on the invitation of the Rt Hon Michael Martin MP and met the Political Director, House of Lords committee members and Scottish parliament members.
  • 7 June 2004 – Dr Miomir ZUZUL, Foreign Minister (HDZ) visited the UK and met with Dr Denis MacShane MP, Minister for Europe.
  • 10-12 May 2004 – Ms Kolinda Grabar KITAROVIC, Minister for European Integration visited the UK and met Dr Denis MacShane MP, Minister for Europe and Sir Stephen Wall. She also spoke at a Chatham House event on ‘Croatia and the EU in light of the European Commission's Opinion'.
  • 11 February 2004 – Dr Miomir Zuzul, Foreign Minister (HDZ) visited the UK and met the Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary and Dr Denis MacShane MP, Minister for Europe.

Outward

  • Minister for Europe Geoff Hoon visited Zagreb on 26 March 2007, meeting President Mesic, Prime Minister Sanader and Foreign Minister Grabar-Kitarovic.
  • Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott visited Zagreb on 26 October 2005 and met President Mesic and Prime Minister Sanader.
  • Minister for Europe, Dr MacShane visited Zagreb on 19-20 April 2004 and met President Mesic, Prime Minister Sanader, Foreign Minister, Miomir Zuzul and Minister for European Integration, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic.

Country information

Pick Another Country :

Share this with: