On 18 July 2025 The Central State Office for Croats Outside the Republic of Croatia has published a call to the Croatian communities outside the Republic of Croatia for the submission of candidate nominations for the election of members of the Council of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Croats outside the Republic of Croatia as well as for the election of members of the Council of Young Croats Outside the Republic of Croatia. Nominations of candidates are to be lodged via the diplomatic and consular missions of the Republic of Croatia abroad and close on 1^st September 2025. The latter advisory body to the government pertaining to youth presents a new advisory body in accordance with the recent amendments to the relations with Croats abroad Act I have written about here some weeks ago. I hope that many people of Croatian descent living in the diaspora will seek nominations for candidacy as this is one of the effective ways of diaspora having a say in the future of Croatia. Good luck everyone!

I have taken the liberty of translating the Public Calls for candidature from the Croatian language into the English and the translations follow here.

Candidacy for election into the Council of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Croats Outside the Republic of Croatia (PDF link in Croatian)

The Central State Office for Croats Outside the Republic of Croatia, in accordance with the provisions of Article 19, paragraph 1 of the Act on Relations between the Republic of Croatia and Croats Outside the Republic of Croatia (“Official Gazette”, No. 124/11, 16/12 and 98/2025), hereby publishes a Public Call to Croatian communities outside the Republic of Croatia for the submission of candidate proposals for the election of members, in the fourth convocation, of the Council of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Croats Outside the Republic of Croatia (hereinafter: the Council of the Government).

Communities of Croats outside the Republic of Croatia shall propose their representatives to the Council of the Government through their appropriate diplomatic and consular missions of the Republic of Croatia from among Croatian institutions, associations and other organizations. The proposed persons should be individuals  respected in the community in which they live and actively engaged in preserving and strengthening Croatian identity and connecting with the Republic of Croatia.

Representatives are elected for a four-year term, in accordance with the representation determined by the Act on Relations of the Republic of Croatia with Croats Outside the Republic of Croatia, as follows:

1. Croats from Bosnia and Herzegovina

• 13 members, of which one is a representative of the Catholic Church from Bosnia and Herzegovina

2. Croatian national minority (17 members), distributed by country:

• 3 from Serbia

• 2 each from Austria, Hungary and Slovenia

• 1 each from Bulgaria, Montenegro, the Czech Republic, Italy, Kosovo, Romania, North Macedonia and Slovakia

3. Croatian emigrants (35 members), distributed by country:

• 5 each from the United States of America and Germany

• 4 from Australia

• 3 from Canada

• 2 each from Argentina and Chile

• 1 each from Austria, Brazil, France, Ireland, Italy, the Republic of South Africa, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

• 1 representative for each group:

o Denmark and Norway

o Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands

o Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru

o Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Communities that propose candidates for the Government Council are required to submit the following with their proposal:

• the candidate’s CV,

• proof of the candidate’s affiliation with the Croatian people: a copy of one of the following documents if they show affiliation with the Croatian people (birth certificate, marriage certificate, extract from the voter list, school certificate, copy of the student’s registry book, index, application form for enrolment in a university, work book, military book, copy of the record of the registration of the intention to enter into marriage, registration of the fact of the birth of a child, Decision on admission to Croatian citizenship based on Articles 11 or 16 of the Croatian Citizenship Act, some other document or public document containing information about affiliation with the Croatian people). Note: a certificate of citizenship, travel document and Croatian identity card are not proof of belonging to the Croatian people, but rather proof of Croatian citizenship,

• a certificate from a competent court, no older than six months, that there are no criminal proceedings against the candidate and/or a confirmation that the candidate has not been convicted of a criminal offense (original or certified copy).

All proposed candidates must be of legal age and possess appropriate knowledge and experience related to the scope of work of the Government Council.

When proposing candidates, it is necessary to take into account the previous results of the candidate’s work and their availability to actively participate in the work of the Government Council.

Membership in the Government Council implies annual participation in the session of the Government Council in the Republic of Croatia, cooperation and continuous participation in monitoring the position, status and interests of Croats in the countries of their residence, and participation in providing opinions and proposals to the Government of the Republic of Croatia on improving public policies for Croats outside the Republic of Croatia.

The deadline for submitting candidate proposals to the appripriate diplomatic and consular missions is 1 September 2025.

Candidacy for election into the Council of Young Croats Outside the Republic of Croatia (PDF link in Croatian)

The Central State Office for Croats Outside the Republic of Croatia, releases this Public Call, in accordance with the provisions of the Act on Amendments to the Act on Relations between the Republic of Croatia and Croats Outside the Republic of Croatia (“Official Gazette”, No. 98/2025), the Government of the Republic of Croatia establishes the Council of Young Croats Outside the Republic of Croatia (hereinafter: the Youth Council) as an advisory body to the Government of the Republic of Croatia with the aim of preserving and strengthening Croatian identity among young generations of Croats outside the Republic of Croatia, encouraging connections and cooperation with the Republic of Croatia and cooperation between Croatian communities around the world, promoting cultural, educational and business opportunities in Croatia and strengthening their willingness to return to Croatia.

Communities of Croats outside the Republic of Croatia shall nominate their representatives for the first convocation of the Youth Council through their appropriate diplomatic and consular missions of the Republic of Croatia from among Croatian institutions, associations and other organizations. Proposed candidates should be persons who are actively engaged in preserving and strengthening Croatian identity and connecting with the Republic of Croatia.

Croatian communities outside the Republic of Croatia propose their representatives to the Youth Council for a four-year term, according to the representation determined in accordance with the number and importance of Croats in the country in question, the activities and connections of the community with the Republic of Croatia, as well as the work on affirming the reputation and interests of the Republic of Croatia, as follows:

1. Croats from Bosnia and Herzegovina

• 13 members, one of whom is a representative of the Catholic Church from Bosnia and Herzegovina

2. Croatian national minority (17 members), distributed by country:

• 3 from Serbia

• 2 each from Austria, Hungary and Slovenia

• 1 each from Bulgaria, Montenegro, the Czech Republic, Italy, Kosovo, Romania, North Macedonia and Slovakia

3. Croatian emigration (35 members), distributed by country:

• 5 each from the United States of America and Germany

• 4 from Australia

• 3 from Canada

• 2 each from Argentina and Chile

• 1 each from Austria, Brazil, France, Ireland, Italy, Republic of South Africa, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom

• 1 representative for each group:

o Denmark and Norway

o Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands

o Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru

o Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Communities that propose candidates for the Youth Council are required to submit with their proposal:

• a written explanation of the candidacy,

• the candidate’s CV,

• proof of the candidate’s affiliation with the Croatian people: a copy of one of the following documents if they show affiliation with the Croatian people (birth certificate, marriage certificate, extract from the voter list, school certificate, copy of the student’s registry book, index, application form for enrolment in college, work book, military book, copy of the record of the registration of the intention to enter into marriage, registration of the fact of the birth of a child, Decision on admission to Croatian citizenship based on Articles 11 or 16 of the Croatian Citizenship Act, some other document or public document containing information about affiliation with the Croatian people). Note: a certificate of citizenship, travel document and Croatian identity card are not proof of belonging to the Croatian people, but rather proof of Croatian citizenship,

• a certificate from a competent court, no older than six months, that there are no criminal proceedings against the candidate and/or a confirmation that the candidate has not been convicted of a criminal offense (original or certified copy).

All proposed candidates must be between the ages of 18 and 30. Membership in the Youth Council implies annual participation in the session of the Youth Council in the Republic of Croatia, cooperation and participation in continuous monitoring of the position, status and interests of young Croatians in their countries of residence, and participation in providing opinions and proposals to the Government of the Republic of Croatia on improving public policies for young Croatians outside the Republic of Croatia.

The deadline for submitting candidate proposals to the appropriate diplomatic and consular missions is September 1, 2025.

Prepared by Ina Vukic