Diaspora Policies, Consular Services and Social Protection for Croatian Citizens Abroad

Abstract

This chapter examines the Croatian Government’s policies for Croats abroad with a focus on social protection. The history of Croatian diaspora-homeland engagement over a century culminating in the establishment of the independent state of Croatia in 1991, informs the prioritization of Croats abroad in the social policy landscape. In addition to outlining the diaspora and consular infrastructures, culture and education policies, the protection of Croats abroad in the areas of health, employment, pensions and family-related benefits is reviewed. The findings of this analysis reveal that while the Croatian government continues to profess its commitment to providing a comprehensive program of social protection for Croats abroad, policies guaranteeing substantive social protection are mainly found in those (primarily post-Yugoslav) states where Croatia has negotiated bilateral agreements for Croats identified as a minority. The provision of protection for Croats abroad in general therefore falls somewhat short in so far as a robust, concrete set of measures are concerned.

The Banality of Citizenship

“…Croatia, for example, has negotiated agreements with post-Yugoslav states to provide cross border social protection as part of its constitutional commitment to "efforts in preserving and empowering the position and identity of Croats abroad through…health and welfare policies" (Art. 7) (Winland 2020). While control over migration exposes nation state domination and oppression, eschewing citizenship requires engagement with the "left hand of the state" as well its right (Bourdieu 1992), and the nationalization of redistribution mechanisms which was key to the transition from imperial to nation states.…”