Today Croatia marks the 23rd anniversary of international recognition. On 15 January 1992, all twelve members of the then-European Community recognized Croatia as a sovereign and independent country. Six years later, on 15 January 1998, ended the peaceful reintegration of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium.
In the 23 years since its international recognition, Croatia has achieved all its strategic goals. In the Homeland War we defended our freedom and independence, on 1 April 2009 we became a NATO member state and on 1 July 2013 Croatia became the 28th member state of the EU.
Today, Croatia is a credible, relevant and respected member of the international community, a country that in a relatively short time had grown from an international aid recipient into a provider of development and humanitarian aid through numerous projects primarily aimed at stabilizing post-conflict societies. Strongly positioned within the EU, Croatia continues to be active in the region by supporting the Euro-Atlantic and EU-integration processes, thereby contributing to regional and European stability and security.