25th anniversary of Croatia’s CoE membership

25th anniversary of Croatia’s CoE membership

Today we mark 25 years since Croatia was admitted to the Council of Europe (CoE). On 6 November 1996, Croatia became a full member of CoE, the oldest pan-European organisation whose role is to strengthen European unity and prosperity by promoting common values, fundamental human rights and freedoms, democracy and the rule of law.

Croatia’s admission to CoE confirmed our commitment to the strengthening of democratic values and principles as well as our respect for human rights and the rule of law to the benefit of all Croatian citizens.

Today, Croatia is an active member of CoE, and the Croatian representatives and experts within this organisation and as part of intergovernmental and interparliamentary cooperation participate in the adoption of all the policies and documents. A confirmation of Croatia’s efforts to strengthen specific areas of human rights and the rule of law are past and current appointments of our experts to CoE bodies and working groups.

The greatest recognition of Croatia’s efforts within CoE, as well as on the national level, was the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of European Affairs Marija Pejčinović Burić as CoE Secretary-General on 26 June 2019, which is the highest office a Croatian official has held in an international organisation to date. We also have to point out two esteemed Croatian ECHR judges, Nina Vajić and Ksenija Turković, as well as the election of the new judge by PACE, Davor Derenčinović, who is due to assume office next year.

Croatia further confirmed its commitment to the European values through the presidency of the most important executive body of CoE, the Committee of Ministers, in the second half of 2018.

Today, Croatia is a partner member state implementing the adopted standards and actively participating in CoE programmes and activities, continuously adapting its national legislature and practice to European standards.

As part of events marking the 25th anniversary of Croatia’s admission to CoE, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs set up an info stall in Cvjetni Trg square in Zagreb on Saturday to raise public awareness of the importance of the Council of Europe and Croatia’s membership of this organisation.

Rijeka’s Faculty of Law on 5 November organized a panel on the topic, featuring esteemed national and foreign participants. Osijek’s Faculty of Law is to hold a series of lectures and public discussions 8-10 November. The discussion on 9 November will see the participation of MFEA State Secretary for Europe Andreja Metelko-Zgombić, former foreign minister Mate Granić, who signed CoE accession agreements on 6 November 1996, and Croatia’s first ambassador to CoE Vladimir Matek.

On Friday, the Croatian Post issued a commemorative stamp to honour the 25th anniversary of Croatia’s admission to CoE.

 

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