Croatia–Italy relations

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Croatian-Italian relations
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Diplomatic mission
Embassy of Croatia, Rome Embassy of Italy, Zagreb

The foreign relations between Croatia and Italy are bound together by shared history, geography, and kinship ties that reach back thousands of years, including kindred, ancestral lines. Modern relations commenced in 1992, following the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the independence of Croatia. Relations are warm and friendly with robust bilateral collaboration. [1] [2] The two nations have strong connectivity through tourism, immigration, foreign aid, and economic mutualism.

Contents

Through their shared history, geographic and cultural delineations have commingled via nation-building dating back to the Roman Empire. This has led to historic cultural diffusion and created perennial tension around the italianità ("Italianness") of Croatia. Italian is an official language in Istria County (in Croatia), while Molise Croats inhabit the Italian city of Campobasso. The close multiculturalism between Croatia and Italy is broadly popular and favored domestically. Croatia and Italy are close military allies, especially through their naval and coastal forces, with membership in NATO. They share a 370 nautical-mile maritime border over the Adriatic Sea, with a small 12 mile region of Slovenia separating them by land.

Both countries are members of the European Union and Council of Europe, sharing the same official currency, the euro (€). Croatia has an embassy in Rome and general consulates in Milan and Trieste while Italy maintains an embassy in Zagreb and a general consulate in Rijeka, among other cultural organizations.

History

The Porta Terraferma in Zadar, Croatia, featuring the Lion of Saint Mark, a symbol of Veneto, Italy. Zadar PortaTerraferma.jpg
The Porta Terraferma in Zadar, Croatia, featuring the Lion of Saint Mark, a symbol of Veneto, Italy.

Italy and Croatia, due to their geographic proximity, have shared a rich and complex history reaching back to the Roman Empire, of which they were both apart. [3] [4] Northeast Italy and Northwest Croatia were combined by Roman emperor Augustus into Venetia et Histria from 7 AD–292 AD. [5] [6] During the reign of Roman emperor Hadrian from 117 to 138, most of modern Italy and Croatia remained separate and constituted the historic regions of Italia and Dalmatia, respectively. [7] Croatia's Dalmatian coast was part of the Republic of Venice from 1409 to 1797, known then as Venetian Dalmatia. [8] After the fall of the Republic of Venice, the Treaty of Campo Formio transferred the region to the Austrian Habsburg Empire as the Venetian Province. [9] The Venetian Republic was an independent state until it merged with other regional republics during the mid-1800s to form the Kingdom of Italy. [10] Croatia is considered Italy's strongest historical partner within the Slavic world. Unlike other Slavic countries, Croatia shares Italy's dominant religion – Roman Catholicism. Croatian towns and cities near Italy have historically spoken Italian. During their respective nation-building during the 19th century, their relations were favorable. [11] Tensions emerged during World War II in Italy, after the rise of Benito Mussolini led to a full-scale invasion of Croatia. [11] Native Croatians were forced to italianize, with Italy exerting direct control of the short-lived Governorate of Dalmatia in 1941. Croatian and Slovenian populations were interned by Italian forces in concentration camps such as the Rab concentration camp where thousands were killed as part of the ethnic cleansing of slavs from Italian controlled regions of Istria and Dalmatia. [12] [13] Yugoslav communist revolutionary Josip Broz Tito repelled the Italians out of Croatia and counter-invaded part of Italy. [11] 230,000 - 350,000 Italian fascist occupiers and indigenous Italians, as well as Croats and Slovenes that maintained Italian citizenship, fled their native lands after the Yugoslav reprisal invasion. This was known as the Istrian–Dalmatian exodus. [11] The eventual dissolution of Yugoslavia during the 1990s, normalized relations between Croatia and Italy. Following Croatia's independence from Yugoslavia, Italy reestablished relations in 1992. [11] Italy was a key partner to Croatia following its statehood, providing critical political and economic support during the 2000s. [14] In 2007, Italy's president Giorgio Napoletano strained diplomatic relations by referring to the Yugoslav communist Partisans’ expulsions of Italians during the end of World War II, as the "barbarism of the century" and being a result of “Slav bloodthirsty hatred and rage”. This led to Croatia and Slovenia condemning the comment. [15] Croatian president Stjepan Mesić accused Napoletano of historical revisionism but the nations' diplomats quickly resolved the matter in Rome. [15]

Italy supported Croatia's admission to the European Union in 2013. A diplomatic row emerged between the two states in 2019, after Antonio Tajani, the President of the European Parliament, commented "Long live Trieste, long live Italian Istria, long live Italian Dalmatia, long live Italian exiles". [16] Tajani later apologized to the Croatian government clarifying his comments were not intended to imply that the Istrian and Dalmatian regions of Croatia were a part of Italy. [17] In 2023, after a decade of strong economic activity, Italy became Croatia's most important trading partner with a 45% increase since 2021, according to Tajani. [2] That year, the two nations signed a tri-party agreement with Slovenia to ease immigration in Southeast Europe. [18] Italy helped return a rare and "extremely valuable" 14th-century religious cross to Croatia, after a private citizen inadvertently bought it during an auction in London. [19]

Diaspora

There are around 19,500 people of Italian descent living in Croatia. There are also around 6,000 Molise Croats in Italy. In addition, there are around 21,000 registered immigrant Croatian workers in Italy. [20] Italian is an officially-recognized language in Croatia, with the majority of its speakers living in Istria County. Dalmatian Italians historically constituted a significant population of Dalmatia. Italian is a popular foreign language in Croatia, with 15% of Croatians able to speak it well enough to have a conversation, according to Eurobarometer.[ citation needed ]

Trade

The two countries share multiple bilateral free-trade agreements. Croatia exports around 14% of their total total annual export to Italy. [21] Trade between the two states totaled €8.64 billion in 2023, reaching an all-time high. [2]

Fishing

Croatia and Italy both maintain exclusive economic zones over the Adriatic Sea. Italy disputed the reach of Croatia's zone around the Italian part of the Adriatic in January 2008 claiming it violated an earlier agreement they made over "Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zones". [22] The two states mutually settled the dispute later that year. [22] This zone is supervised by the Croatian Navy, which intercepted two Italian ships in 2008 and 2021, seizing their illegal fish, and escorting them back to Italian waters. [23] [24]

Diplomatic missions

Croatia has an embassy in Rome, general consulates in Milan and Trieste, and consulates in Bari, Florence, Naples, and Padua. [25] Italy has an embassy in Zagreb, general consulate in Rijeka, Vice Consulate in Buje, Pula and Split, as well as Italian Cultural Institute and Foreign Trade Institute in Zagreb. [26]

Sister cities

Croatia and Italy share a large number of sister cities between themselves. [27] [28] Many of these cities have Croatian and Italian-language versions of their name due to historic cultural diffusion.

The town Groznjan in Croatia is majority Italian-speaking and is locally known as Grisignana. Groznjan aerial view.jpg
The town Grožnjan in Croatia is majority Italian-speaking and is locally known as Grisignana.
Molise Croats live in the Molise region of Italy. Gemeinde Castel San Vincenzo.jpg
Molise Croats live in the Molise region of Italy.

See also

Related Research Articles

The foreign relations of Croatia is primarily formulated and executed via its government which guides the state's interactions with other nations, their citizens, and foreign organizations. Active in global affairs since the 9th century, modern Croatian diplomacy is considered to have formed following their independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. As an independent state, Croatia established diplomatic relations with most world nations – 187 states in total – during the 1990s, starting with Germany (1991) and ending most recently with Togo (2023). Croatia has friendly relations with most of its neighboring countries, namely Slovenia, Hungary, Montenegro, and Italy. They maintain colder, more tense relations with Serbia as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina due to historic nation-building conflict and differing political ideologies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalmatia</span> Historical region of Croatia

Dalmatia is one of the four historical regions of Croatia, alongside Central Croatia, Slavonia and Istria, located on the east shore of the Adriatic Sea in Croatia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Istria</span> Peninsula on the Adriatic Sea

Istria is the largest peninsula within the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Kvarner Gulf. It is shared by three countries: Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy, with 87% of surface area being part of Croatia. Croatia encapsulates most of the Istrian peninsula within Istria County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italian irredentism</span> Italian political movement

Italian irredentism was a political movement during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Italy with irredentist goals which promoted the unification of geographic areas in which indigenous peoples were considered to be ethnic Italians. At the beginning, the movement promoted the annexation to Italy of territories where Italians formed the absolute majority of the population, but retained by the Austrian Empire after the Third Italian War of Independence in 1866.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Istrian–Dalmatian exodus</span> Post-World War II exodus of ethnic Italians from Yugoslavia

The Istrian–Dalmatian exodus was the post-World War II exodus and departure of local ethnic Italians as well as ethnic Slovenes and Croats from Yugoslavia. The emigrants, who had lived in the now Yugoslav territories of the Julian March, Kvarner and Dalmatia, largely went to Italy, but some joined the Italian diaspora in the Americas, Australia and South Africa. These regions were ethnically mixed, with long-established historic Croatian, Italian, and Slovene communities. After World War I, the Kingdom of Italy annexed Istria, Kvarner, the Julian March and parts of Dalmatia including the city of Zadar. At the end of World War II, under the Allies' Treaty of Peace with Italy, the former Italian territories in Istria, Kvarner, the Julian March and Dalmatia were assigned to now Communist-helmed Federal Yugoslavia, except for the Province of Trieste. The former territories absorbed into Yugoslavia are part of present-day Croatia and Slovenia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalmatian Italians</span> Ethnic group in Europe

Dalmatian Italians are the historical Italian national minority living in the region of Dalmatia, now part of Croatia and Montenegro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italian language in Croatia</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croatia–United States relations</span> Bilateral relations

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Croatia</span> Overview of and topical guide to Croatia

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Croatia:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croatia–Romania relations</span> Bilateral relations

Croatia–Romania relations are the foreign relations between Croatia and Romania. Both nations are members of the European Union and NATO. Both countries established relations on 29 August 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italy–Yugoslavia relations</span> Bilateral relations

Italy–Yugoslavia relations are the cultural and political relations between Italy and Yugoslavia in the 20th century, since the creation of Yugoslavia in 1918 until its dissolution in 1992. Relations during the interwar years were hostile because of Italian irredentist demands to Yugoslav territory, leading to Fascist Italy and the Axis Powers invading Yugoslavia during World War II. After lingering tensions after the war over the status of the Free Territory of Trieste, relations improved during the Cold War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croatia–France relations</span> Bilateral relations

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croatia–Slovenia relations</span> Bilateral relations

The foreign relations between Croatia and Slovenia are bound together by shared history, neighboring geography and common political ideologies. Both states established diplomatic relations in 1992, following the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the independence of Croatia. Modern relations are warm and friendly. The two states have disputes over their border and sovereign rights over certain nuclear and economic assets. The countries share 670 km (420 mi) of common border. They are perennially each other's largest trading partners on an import-export basis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austria–Croatia relations</span> Bilateral relations

A bilateral relationship exists between Croatia and Austria. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on January 15, 1992, following Croatia's independence from SFR Yugoslavia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bosnia and Herzegovina–Croatia relations</span> Bilateral relations

The foreign relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Croatia are bound together by shared history, language, neighboring geography and cultural commonalties. They established diplomatic relations in 1992, following the dissolution of Yugoslavia and independence of Croatia. The two countries share a 932-kilometer (579 mi) border – the second longest external land border in the European Union (EU). Modern relations between the two states are functional but remain tense after ineffective 21st-century attempts at détente.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Istrian Italians</span> Ethnic group in Europe

Istrian Italians are an ethnic group from the Adriatic region of Istria in modern northwestern Croatia and southwestern Slovenia. Istrian Italians descend from the original Latinized population of Roman Histria, from the Venetian-speaking settlers who colonized the region during the time of the Republic of Venice, and from the local Croatian people who culturally assimilated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italians of Croatia</span> Historical national minority in Croatia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Istria</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italian irredentism in Dalmatia</span> Italian political and nationalist movement

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References

  1. ↑ "Croatia in Europe Through the Ages: Croatian-Italian relations". Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "Croatia-Italy economic cooperation at all-time high: Italy Croatia's number one trade partner". template.gov.hr. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  3. ↑ "Croatia - Medieval, Adriatic, Balkans | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  4. ↑ Leocha, Charles (2006-08-03). "Never heard of Istria? Well, you will". NBC News. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  5. ↑ BISPHAM, EDWARD (2007). "Pliny the Elder's Italy". Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies (100): 46. JSTOR   43767660 . Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  6. ↑ Berto, Luigi (2013). ""Venetia (Venice)": Its Formation and Meaning in the Middle Ages" (PDF). NeMLA Italian Studies. 35: 1–2. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  7. ↑ Barnes, Constantine: Dynastyr, Religion and Power in the Later Roman Empire, p. 160, 2011
  8. ↑ Zekan, Mate (1990). Kralj Zvonimir - dokumenti i spomenici [King Zvonimir - Documents and Monuments] (in Croatian and English). Zagreb: Muzej hrvatskih arheoloških spomenika Split, arheološki muzej Zagreb. pp. 9–24.
  9. ↑ Budak, Neven (2018). Hrvatska povijest od 550. do 1100 [Croatian history from 550 until 1100]. Leykam international. pp. 231–233, 248–267, 286–293. ISBN   978-953-340-061-7.
  10. ↑ Riall, Lucy (1994). The Italian Risorgimento: state, society, and national unification (First ed.). London: Routledge. p.  1. ISBN   978-0-203-41234-3. The functional importance of the Risorgimento to both Italian politics and Italian historiography has made this short period (1815–60) one of the most contested and controversial in modern Italian history
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Magaš, Branka (2007). Croatia Through History: The Making of a European State. Saqi. ISBN   978-0-86356-775-9.
  12. ↑ https://balkaninsight.com/2021/03/19/idyllic-croatian-island-cant-erase-grim-wwii-history/.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ↑ Ballinger, P. (2002). History in exile: memory and identity at the borders of the Balkans. Princeton University Press; ISBN   0-691-08697-4
  14. ↑ "Italy-Croatia: concert in Zagreb to mark the anniversary of diplomatic relations – Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale". www.esteri.it. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  15. 1 2 Traynor, Ian (2007-02-13). "Italy and Croatia reopen old war wounds". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  16. ↑ Barigazzi, Jacopo (2019-02-11). "Slovenian, Croatian leaders accuse Tajani of 'historical revisionism'". POLITICO. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  17. ↑ "Cerarja Tajanijevo opravičilo ni prepričalo. Tajanija k odstopu poziva tudi NSi". rtvslo.si (in Slovenian). 2019-02-12. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  18. ↑ Radosavljevic, Zoran (2023-11-03). "Italy, Slovenia, Croatia step up cooperation on migrants". www.euractiv.com. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  19. ↑ "14th century processional cross returned to Croatia after 50 years". template.gov.hr. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  20. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 8, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  21. ↑ "Najvažniji partner: Porast industrijskih narudžbi u Italiji otvara mogućnost rasta hrvatskog izvoza". www.index.hr.
  22. 1 2 "Croatia's Mesic suggests modification of proposed fishing zone likely". SETimes.com. 2008-01-01. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
  23. ↑ Croatia seizes Italian boat days after fishery zone comes into force
  24. ↑ Karakaš Jakubin, Hajdi (27 May 2021). "Talijanski ribari uhićeni dok su ilegalno lovili ribu nadomak Splita, prijeti im velika kazna" [Italian fishermen arrested while illegally fishing near Split face a heavy fine]. Jutarnji list (in Croatian). Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  25. ↑ "MVEP • Veleposlanstva RH u svijetu • Italija, Rim". www.mvep.hr.
  26. ↑ "MVEP • Veleposlanstva stranih država u RH • Italija, Zagreb". www.mvep.hr.
  27. ↑ "Gradovi prijatelji". bjelovar.hr (in Croatian). Bjelovar. Retrieved 2019-10-28.
  28. ↑ "Gradovi prijatelji". dubrovnik.hr (in Croatian). Dubrovnik. Retrieved 2019-10-28.
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