Croatia – a lucky strike for Europe…

The ceremonial event at the Council of Europe was accompanied by an exhibition showcasing the beauties of Croatia. Foto: Eurojournalist(e) / CC-BY 2.0

(KL) – The various stages of EU and Council of Europe enlargements have often been criticized because, in many cases, newly admitted countries did not fully meet the accession criteria or only just barely managed to do so. However, such criticism was never voiced when it came to Croatia. The country’s accession to the Council of Europe and the EU confirmed Croatia on its pro-European path and has definitely enriched Europe.

At a commemorative ceremony, Ambassador Toma Galli traced the country’s dynamic journey from the Yugoslav civil war to a modern democracy—a democracy that functions and in which values such as freedom and the rule of law shape government action.

Particularly in the European capital of Strasbourg, Croatia’s presence is enormously positive. Although the Croatian delegation to the Council of Europe is not among the largest, it organizes what feels like a virtually continuous and highly appreciated cultural exchange, maintains a visible presence in the city, and carries out incredible work.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, former Swiss President Alain Berset, also emphasized how successful Croatia’s integration into Europe has been for everyone involved.

Yet Croatia’s contribution to and within Europe is not limited to cultural exchange. In the institutions, Croatia consistently plays a constructive role and should be more strongly involved in diplomatic efforts in the future. Like other countries in Central and Eastern Europe, Croatia sends its best and well-trained diplomats to the European institutions, while a number of Western countries still “misuse” these institutions as places to park politicians who have been sidelined and for whom there is no longer any use in their home countries—and in this respect, Croatia is quite different.

And so we resolve to travel to Croatia as soon as possible in order to get to know this wonderful country and its people better! Thank you for the positive momentum, Croatia!