More Croats live abroad than in Croatia

According to the participants in the "Croatian Immigration and Economic Development: Peculiarities and Opportunities" conference in Osijek on Tuesday, for the first time in history more Croats live abroad than in Croatia. Participants also agreed that the return of Croatian emigrants may be the last chance for Croatia to strengthen itself, demographically and economically.

Opening the conference Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ivan Anušić said that there are about 3.8 million Croats living in Croatia today, and it is estimated that there are about five million living abroad. He assessed that Croatian emigration arose in specific circumstances, due to the political intolerance of the Yugoslav authorities towards Croatians. He added that trends of completely uncontrolled migration and general insecurity are emerging all over the world, while in Croatia people still live a normal and safe life, and Christian values are still respected.

"We must preserve and defend this security because some countries in Europe and the world have lost it. We should enable these people to return to Croatia, because they carry Christian values, but also human values, because they are Croats, and because, just as they have enriched their community abroad, they will also enrich the Croatian state," assessed Minister Anušić.

The minister pointed out that some countries have created strong and powerful states through the return of emigrants, citing Israel as an example, noting that it has created one of the most influential states in the world, and that Croatia, by changing its legal regulations to enable the return of emigrants, can become a politically, economically, and demographically stronger and more stable state.

"We have the political momentum, and the support of the Prime Minister and the Government, to do this. Let's not just stop at slogans, let's give these people the space to return and invest in Croatia, because they helped Croatia when it needed it most. The prerequisite for this is in our policies and laws, because it is not a matter of returning these people, but of providing them with the conditions for return, which are primarily the rule of law and justice and the removal of administrative obstacles to return," Anušić said.

Minister of Demography and Immigration Ivan Šipić announced that pro-natality measures will continue to be adopted, but also those dealing with immigration policy, in which there is economic potential and opportunities for future investments and returns: "Our goal is to suppress and reverse negative trends because there have also been positive developments recently. For several months in a row, we have had more births than last year, and the number of returnees is more significant. This does not mean that we have won, but this is how we suppress negative trends from previous years."

The minister believes that the return of emigrants will not happen overnight, but rather through patient and responsible policy, and that changes will begin to occur when there is a sense of security, the possibility of finding a job and an apartment more quickly, and security for young people: "A great challenge awaits us, and that is the fight for the survival of the Croatian people through demographic policy, and the Government and this Ministry will make their contribution to removing some existing obstacles, such as resolving citizenship or residence."

The State Secretary at the Central State Office for Croats Abroad Zvonko Milas said that the Government has undertaken a number of measures aimed at the return of our emigrants, but that this requires interdepartmental connections and coordination with all state institutions and the local community: "We must help emigrants understand that Croatia is not just the homeland of their ancestors or a country where they come to vacation, but that Croatia is their homeland. We must send them a message to get involved in all aspects of life in Croatia."

Among other things, the conference included a panel discussion on investments in Croatia and opportunities for return, development potential for return and immigration to Slavonia and Baranja, successful returnee stories, and the achievements of Croatian emigrants in overseas countries.

The organizers emphasized that the goal of the conference is to connect Croatian returnees and emigrants with the domestic economy, open a space for knowledge exchange, and encourage new investments and innovations, with a special emphasis on the economic and demographic development of Slavonia and Baranja, through investments and international experiences of emigrant entrepreneurs.

Source: HRT