Barać: Recognition of Diplomas Remains a Problem for Croats from South America

Over the past two years, Croatia has recorded a continuous rise in the number of returnees from the diaspora, including "hundreds of Croats from South America," stated State Secretary for Demography and Immigration Mladen Barać at the conclusion of the 9th Meeting of the Croatian Diaspora of South America.

"Personally, I would like to see the trend of heightened interest in Croatia not only continue, but also become more effective in terms of a higher number of returnees. The number of our Croats from South America is measured in the hundreds on an annual basis, and I believe we are building a system that will allow those figures to be significantly higher," Barać said.

A history professor by profession, he noted that Croatian communities in South America show great interest in forming stronger ties with their homeland. He is particularly pleased by the interest among young people in learning the Croatian language and participating in programs that allow them to visit Croatia and get to know the land of their ancestors.

"Our people here are extremely grateful for everything Croatia is doing to help them preserve and strengthen their Croatian identity and roots, and to connect more closely with their homeland. This is especially noticeable among young people, who show enormous interest in learning the Croatian language, as well as in other programs through which they could come to Croatia and learn more about it," he said.

He explained that learning the Croatian language often represents the first step in connecting with the homeland of one's ancestors, but upon arriving in Croatia, returnees face a series of practical challenges, ranging from finding work in their profession and navigating the labor market to resolving housing issues.

He specifically singled out the problem of recognizing foreign diplomas—known as nostrification—which continues to represent an obstacle to returning.

"We have examples of people who returned to Croatia and then waited a year or two to have a diploma recognized that they earned through great effort and investment. This often applies to shortage occupations that Croatia urgently needs. I think we owe it to these people to simplify and speed up those procedures," Barać emphasized.

Speaking about opportunities for further cooperation with South America, he stressed that Croatia sees great potential in the region, not only in the return of emigrants, but also in economic ties.

He highlighted discussions on cooperation in agriculture and food production, in which Minister of Agriculture David Vlajčić also took part. During the meeting, contacts were established with high-ranking representatives of the Argentine government responsible for those sectors, and talks are underway regarding a potential agreement that would enable the exchange of knowledge and technology.

"South America, and Argentina in particular, represents an enormous opportunity for Croatia. Our diaspora communities in those countries can serve as a bridge for even stronger ties," Barać said.

Reflecting on his first visit to Croatian communities in South America, he remarked that he was especially impressed by their connectedness, unity, and devotion to Croatia.

"It is an exceptional honor to have had the opportunity to visit the Croatian communities in South America. I was particularly moved by how highly these people think of their homeland and their fellow countrymen in Croatia. Their image of Croatia is something special, and I think we in the homeland sometimes forget what a privilege it is to live in such a country," he said.

Source: HRT