We would hereby like to inform all Croatian citizens and voters that in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding measures implemented by Canadian authorities, due to public health reasons the Canadian government has informed that it is unable to issue permission for establishing polling stations for the upcoming Croatian parliamentary elections at the Croatian Embassy in Ottawa or the Consulate General in Mississauga.
Without the Canadian government’s permission it is not possible to organize a polling station or hold the elections at the Embassy or the Consulate General. It is, therefore, with great regret that we must inform all Croatian citizens and voters that Croatian parliamentary elections will not take place on July 4 and July 5, 2020 at the Embassy in Ottawa or the Consulate General in Mississauga.
In order to hold foreign elections in any country in the world, including Canada, permission from the host government is necessary. Before the current pandemic this was not an issue. However, in light of all the measures and restrictions Canadian authorities are implementing with the aim of fighting the spread of COVID-19, the Canadian government currently is not issuing permissions to open foreign polling stations for foreign elections to any foreign country, including Croatia.
Elections will be held at polling stations in Croatia on Sunday, July 5, 2020. Voters who have a registered residence address in Croatia are automatically registered for voting in their place of residence.
Voters who do not have a registered residence address in Croatia and wish to vote in Croatia or abroad (outside of Canada) need to register with the competent local authority in Croatia, i.e. with the embassy or consular office where they wish to vote until June 24, 2020.
More information, detailed instructions, registration forms and contact information of local authorities in Croatia are available at: https://uprava.gov.hr/vijesti/izbori-za-zastupnike-u-hrvatski-sabor-2020/16317
We sincerely hope that the danger posed by COVID-19 will soon end and that we can all return to some sort of normalcy in our daily lives. It is also our hope that we not be faced with such situations in the future, including with regard to measures resulting in our inability to hold Croatian elections here in Canada.
Press releases
