First public granting of Croatian citizenship held in Serbia

(Photo: Croatian National Council)

ZAGREB, 11 March (Hina) – The Croatian Consulate General in Subotica on Tuesday held its first public ceremony for swearing in and granting Croatian citizenship to 20 people, mostly members of the Croatian community in Vojvodina, which was presented as an act that should encourage others to seek this type of support from their homeland.

The new citizens were congratlated by Deputy Ambassador Ivan Zeko Pivač, Consul General Velimir Pleša, and Jasna Vojnić, president of the Croatian National Council and a Croatian MP.

“When you receive Croatian citizenship, it gives you a certain strength and security, knowing that you have your homeland behind you. This is especially important in moments of tension between the two countries, which are mostly felt at the state level. They affect all of us, but if we have this strength, perhaps we will be able to internally foster some processes that will positively influence relations between Croatia and Serbia,” said Vojnić.

Pleša told the new Croatian citizens that they have secured for themselves the right to free residence, work and movement within the European Union, the right to vote and participate in public life, and the protection provided by the Croatian diplomatic network wherever they may be.

He added that with rights come responsibilities: respect for the Constitution and laws, loyalty to the legal order, and contribution to the community.

He noted that citizenship ceremonies have been held in previous years, but this time the presence of Vojnić, a Croatian MP from Vojvodina, was used to demonstrate to the Croatian parliament how vibrant the life of Croats in Serbia is.

There are no precise or publicly available data on the number of Croatian citizens residing in Serbia.