Croatia–France relations

Last updated
Croatia–France relations
Croatia France Locator.png
Flag of Croatia.svg
Croatia 		Flag of France.svg
France
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of Croatia in Paris, France Embassy of France in Zagreb, Croatia
Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and French president Emmanuel Macron holding hands in solidarity after the 2018 World Cup Final between the two states. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Emmanuel Macron prepare to award the first and second places in the final of the 2018 Russian Football Cup.jpg
Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović and French president Emmanuel Macron holding hands in solidarity after the 2018 World Cup Final between the two states.

The foreign relations between Croatia and France are bound together by shared history, political development and cultural commonalities. With an extensive history between the two states, 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

French interests in Croatia are centered on the state's stabilizing influence in Southeast Europe and extending the global reach of jointly-held Western ideals. They are close military allies and members of NATO. Croatia was part of France during the early 1800s as the Illyrian Provinces under the First French Empire. [3] [4] They maintain multiple free-trade agreements between themselves in the Eurozone and share the euro (€) currency.

They share Roman Catholicism as a major religion, football as a national sport, and tri-color flags. Both countries are members the European Union (E.U.), United Nations (U.N.), and the World Trade Organization (WTO). France maintains an embassy in Zagreb with Croatia holding an embassy in Paris; [5] [6] there are also a French consulate in Split, Croatia and Croatian consulates in Lyon and Toulouse. [7] [8] [9]

History

Croatia was part of France during the First French Empire, mapped in 1811. 1french-empire1811.jpg
Croatia was part of France during the First French Empire, mapped in 1811.

The connection between France and Croatia began with the spread of monasteries in Croatia by French Benedictine monks during the 800s and early 900s. [10] Religious diffusion between the two regions began with France's influence on Croatian Catholicism. [10] In 925, Croatia was elevated to the status of Kingdom and the notions of nobility quickly followed. [10] Over the coming centuries Croatian nobility assumed French practices to great controversy. [10] This contributed to wide spread political and social elitism among the nobles and monarch. The nobility regarded the peasant class as an unseen and irrelevant substrata of people which lead to high causality revolts and beheadings as well as sporadic periods of intense domestic violence. [10] This strained ties with French culture and lead the people of Croatia to denounce French elitism. In 1040, French liturgical books and reliquaries were brought to Zagreb to create its first Diocese. [10]

French historian of the Fourth Crusade, Geoffroi de Villehardouin, described in Old French Zagreb as "one of the best fortified cities in the world" later adding "that no more beautiful, stronger nor richer city could be found." [3] During the 14th century, French began to be diffused into Croatian society starting in Zagreb. [10] Many of the Croatian elite studied at the French Sorbonne during the later 15th century and influenced the political landscape of the country for decades to come. One of the most prominent members was Saro Gučetić, who, upon request of the French King Francis I with Suleiman the Magnificent, negotiated secret pacts with neighboring countries. [3] The expansion of literature in France during the early 16th century lead to many Croatian writers to be translated into French for the public. [3] The first diplomatic relation between France and Croatia was the establishment of a consulate in Dubrovnik. The growing connection between the two countries was known as the frančezarije, and was formalized with the first French Masonic lodge in Croatia. As the 1789 French Revolution progressed, the ideas of enlightenment deeply influenced Croatian society, which lead to the creation of Jacobin clubs in Zagreb and Dubrovnik. [3]

During the expansion of Napoleon Bonaparte's First French Empire, large parts of Croatia were controlled by the French leading to the creation of the Illyrian Provinces. [3] In 1809, Napoleon Bonaparte and his administration established this territory in Ljubljana (Laybach) as an extension against the Austrian Empire in what mostly comprised modern day Croatia and parts of Slovenia. The provinces had four governors during its existence: Auguste de Marmont, Henri Gatien Bertrand, Jean-Andoche Junot, and Joseph Fouché. [3] During French rule the official languages of the autonomous province were French, Croatian, Italian, German, and Slovene. Although the French did not entirely abolish the feudal system, [3] their rule familiarized in more detail the inhabitants of the Illyrian Provinces with the achievements of the French Revolution and with contemporary bourgeois society. [3] They introduced equality before the law, compulsory military service and a uniform tax system, and also abolished certain tax privileges, introduced modern administration, separated powers between the state and the church (the introduction of the civil wedding, keeping civil registration of births etc.), and nationalized the judiciary. The occupants made all the citizens theoretically equal under the law for the first time. [3]

French rule in the Illyrian Provinces was short-lived, yet it significantly contributed to greater national self-confidence and awareness of freedoms, especially in the Slavic nations as exampled in post Yugoslavian independence Croatia, and Slovenia. The influence of the Illyrian Territories and the rejection of Austrian rule, has prompted a French cultural diffusion and national appreciation in certain areas of the countries that made up the providences that last to this day. In Croatia, the cities and towns of Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Osijek, Zadar, and Velika Gorica have distinct French and Illyrian customs that remain a remnant of 19th century French rule. [11] In Slovenia and Montenegro, streets and small regions are named after governors of the providences and Bonaparte. [3] During this time the spread of Illyrian movement was expansive in France and lead to the creation of the seminal work: Les peuplesde l’Autriche et dela Turquie; histoire contemporaine desIllyriens, des Magyars, desRoumains et des Polonais, which served as an "introductory study on Croatia and the Illyrian Movement." [3] During the 1860s, the Croatian school system began to introduce French as a language of study and formally integrated into the national curriculum in 1876. [3] French writer Émile Zola–a descendant of Zadar–was one of the most prominent writers of this movement. [3]

Croatian Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic meets with his French counterparty Manuel Valls, 2017 CroatiaFinanceMinster.jpg
Croatian Prime Minister Tihomir Orešković meets with his French counterparty Manuel Valls, 2017

During the later 1950s, the capital of Croatia became a cultural center mostly due to the fact that Yugoslavia was not aligned with any sovereign. French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre visited Zagreb in 1960 and met with prominent Croatian writers and philosophers. [3] With the collapse of Yugoslavia, Croatia struggled to be internationally recognized. French intellectuals such as Mirko Dražen Grmek–a native Croat and naturalized Frenchman–helped attract high-profile French figures to recognize Croatia. [3]

France recognized Croatia on 15 January 1992 and established diplomatic relations three months later. [1] President of Croatia Ivo Josipović was invited by Francois Hollande to celebrate the National Day of France in July 2013. [1] Minister of State for European Affairs Harlem Désir visited Croatia on July 14, 2015 to celebrate French Independence Day and met with Prime Minister Zoran Milanović. [1]

After the 2022 Tu-141 drone crash in Zagreb, France dispatched two fighter jets from aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in a show of military strength for Croatia. [12] [13]

Economic relations

The two states share euro currency through with their memberships of the European Union and Eurozone. French companies tend to develop the transport infrastructure sectors in Croatia. [1] The construction of the Zagreb Airport through the Bouygues-Aéroports de Paris (ADP) investment of €250-€300 in 2012 substantially increased the public perception of France in Croatia. [1] Their trading agreement and activity reached a market value of €535 million in 2015 (+16.3% compared to 2014). [1] France accounted for 2.3% of Croatia's total trade in 2014, making it the 10th largest trading partner. French exports to Croatia amounted to €364 million in 2015 (+17% compared to 2014) which marks a sharp increase from the previous five years of stagnation and decline. [1] Croatia supplied €171.3 million worth of imports to France in 2015. France is the seventh-largest investor in Croatia with annual investments of €651 million in FDI. [1]

Political and diplomatic activity

The two countries have inter-parliamentary exchanges. In 2009, Croatia served as a temporary member of the United Nations Security Council with France. [14] [15] [16] France created Croatia's "administrative adaptation processes" that helped it become the 28th EU state. [1] In January 2013, Croatia's EU Treaty was ratified by the French Parliament. [1] French Minister Delegate for European Affairs Thierry Repentin visited Zagreb in 2013 in support of its membership in the EU. [1] After the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks the government of Croatia made November 16, 2015 a national mourning day in the country and flew their flags half mast. [17] Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic marched in Paris with the "March for Democracy" to grieve the victims. [18]

Sister cities

French prime minister Francois Fillon (left), with his Croatian counterpart Ivo Sanader (right), 2008 Francuski premijer fillon hrvatska nema razloga za zabrinutost.jpg
French prime minister François Fillon (left), with his Croatian counterpart Ivo Sanader (right), 2008

Croatia and France share five twin towns and sister cities between themselves.

The French government expressed interest in May 2017 of "twinning" with the following Croatian cities: [1]

Sports rivalry

The 2018 World Cup Final is seen as the pinnacle of their football rivalry. Final of the Soccer World Cup Russia between the national teams of France and Croatia.jpg
The 2018 World Cup Final is seen as the pinnacle of their football rivalry.

The football teams of France and of Croatia began competing against each other in a series of friendly exhibition games, but since 1998 their encounters have become increasingly competitive. [19] As both countries have the red-white-blue tricolor, matches between the two are nicknamed Le derby tricolore ("Tricolor Derby") or Trobojnica ("Tricolor" game). During the 1998 World Cup, both France and Croatia reached their then-pinnacle of international prowess after the former won the tournament after defeating the latter who took third place. Twenty years later, the two teams battled the 2018 World Cup final where France overcame Croatia 4–2 to secure the trophy. [20] [21] Similarly to 1998, the match with France elevated Croatia to its highest-ever ranking with runners-up positioning. The two teams have competed against each other six times with France winning four matches, and drawing two. [19]

The national tennis teams of Croatia and of France contested the 2018 Davis Cup final with Croatia winning its second title. [22]

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">Croatian passport</span> Passport of the Republic of Croatia issued to Croatian citizens

Croatian passport is issued to citizens of the Republic of Croatia for the purpose of international travel. The passport has the purpose of serving as proof of Croatian citizenship and identity. Responsibility for their issuance lies with the Ministry of the Interior; and for citizens abroad, passports are issued by the local embassy or consulate. Croatian passports are valid for ten or five years, and are not renewable. Every Croatian citizen is also a citizen of the European Union. The passport, along with the national identity card allows for free rights of movement and residence in any of the states of the European Economic Area and Switzerland.

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

The foreign, diplomatic, economic, and political relations between Croatia and the United States were established on April 7, 1992 following the dissolution of Yugoslavia. After Croatia's debut as an independent state in 1996, the U.S. established the country as its most important political connection to Southeast Europe. Modern relations are considered to be warm and friendly, with stalwart bilateral collaboration. The Croatian diaspora in the U.S. is estimated to be around 500,000 which, in part, informs the foreign policy of Croatia. The two nations have strong connectivity through tourism, immigration, foreign aid, and economic mutualism.

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

Croatia–Ukraine relations are foreign relations between Croatia and Ukraine. The countries established diplomatic relations on 18 February 1992. Croatia has an embassy in Kyiv and an honorary consulate in Donetsk. Ukraine has an embassy in Zagreb and honorary consulates in Malinska and Split. Croatia supports Ukraine's European Union and NATO membership.

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

Croatia and Russia established diplomatic relations on 25 May 1992. Croatia has an embassy in Moscow and honorary consulates in Kaliningrad, Novosibirsk, and Sochi. Russia has an embassy in Zagreb and honorary consulates in Pula and Split.

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

Croatia–Kosovo relations refer to the bilateral relations of Croatia and Kosovo. Diplomatic relations among two countries were established on 30 June 2008, following Kosovo's declaration of independence. Croatia has an embassy in Pristina, and Kosovo has an embassy in Zagreb. Both countries were part of Yugoslavia from 1918 to 1991. Relations between the two countries are described as very good and friendly.

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

Croatian–Dutch are foreign relations between Croatia and Netherlands. Both countries established diplomatic relations on April 23, 1992. Croatia has an embassy in The Hague. The Netherlands have an embassy in Zagreb and 3 honorary consulates . Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, European Union and NATO. Netherlands joined the EU as a founding member state, and Croatia joined the EU in 2013. The Netherlands has given full support to Croatia's membership in the European Union and NATO.

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

Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Albania and the Republic of Croatia were established on August 25, 1992. Albania has an embassy in Zagreb and an honorary consulate in Dubrovnik while Croatia has an embassy in Tirana.

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

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. The two nations have strong connectivity through tourism, immigration, foreign aid, and economic mutualism.

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

Croatia–Poland relations are foreign relations between Croatia and Poland. Both countries are full members of the European Union, NATO, OECD, OSCE, Three Seas Initiative and the Council of Europe. Poland gave full support to Croatia's membership in the European Union and NATO.

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

Croatia–Norway relations are foreign relations between Croatia and Norway. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 February 1992. Croatia has an embassy in Oslo. Norway has an embassy in Zagreb and an honorary consulate in Rijeka.

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

Full diplomatic relations between Croatia and Israel were established on April 9, 1997 following Croatia's independence from SFR Yugoslavia. Croatia has an embassy in Tel Aviv and honorary consulates in Ashdod, Caesarea, Jerusalem and Kfar Shmaryahu. Israel has an embassy in Zagreb. Relations between the two countries are described as friendly and highly cooperative. In recent years, Croatia and Israel intensified bilateral relations and cooperation in the field of defence and security. Croatia is one of the countries Israel occasionally turns to inside the EU to advocate on its behalf and it generally abstains or votes with Israel on key EU votes at the UN. Israeli president Reuven Rivlin described Croatia in 2019 as "Israel's strong ally in the EU, the UN and other multilateral organizations."

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

Croatia–Sweden relations are foreign relations between Croatia and Sweden. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 January 1992. Croatia has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Zagreb and 2 honorary consulates.

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

Croatia–United Kingdom relations, or British-Croatian relations, are foreign relations between Croatia and the United Kingdom. After Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia in June 1991, the UK established diplomatic relations with Croatia on 25 June 1992. Both countries are members of the Council of Europe and NATO. the United Kingdom gave full support to Croatia's applications for membership in the European Union and NATO.

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

China and Croatia established diplomatic relations on May 13, 1992. Croatia has an embassy in Beijing and a general consulate in Hong Kong. China has an embassy and a Confucius Institute in Zagreb.

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

Diplomatic relations between the republics of Croatia and Ireland were established on 27 January 1995 following Croatia's independence from SFR Yugoslavia. Ireland recognised Croatia as an independent state on 15 January 1992. Croatia is represented in Ireland through consulate and embassy in Dublin, while Ireland is represented in Croatia through its embassy and consulate in Zagreb. Both countries are full members of Council of Europe and of the European Union. In 2019, Croatian community in Ireland counted around 20,000 people.

Darko Bekić is a Croatian historian, author, diplomat and foreign policy advisor to the first President of the Republic of Croatia Franjo Tuđman. He served, inter alia, as the Croatian Ambassador to the OSCE in Vienna (1992–1996) and as Permanent Representative of Croatia to the United Nations in Geneva (1996–1998). He authored the first-ever History of Croatian Diplomacy published in 2016 by Skolska Knjiga, Zagreb.

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

Foreign relations exist between Australia and Croatia. Australia has an embassy in Zagreb, and Croatia has an embassy in Canberra.

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

Croatia–North Macedonia relations are foreign relations between Croatia and North Macedonia. Two countries established diplomatic relations on 30 March 1992. Croatia is represented in North Macedonia via its Embassy in Skopje and honorary consul in Strumica while North Macedonia is represented in Croatia via its Embassy and the Cultural and Informational Center in Zagreb as well as consulate in Rijeka and honorary consul in Zadar. Croatia supports North Macedonia's European Union membership. Before their independence in early 1990s, both countries were constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as the SR Croatia and SR Macedonia respectively. Croatia was one of the first countries in the world to recognize the independence of the country during the period in which Zagreb itself awaited international recognition. During the long-lasting Macedonia naming dispute (1991-2019) and before the signature of the Prespa agreement Croatia was the first country in the world to recognize North Macedonia under its constitutional name of the Republic of Macedonia instead of appellation "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia". Today, both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, and of the NATO. Croatia is an EU member and North Macedonia is an EU candidate. Since 2006 North Macedonia is a member state of the Central European Free Trade Agreement while Croatia was a member of the area between 2003 and 2013. Croatia strongly supports accession of North Macedonia to the European Union and also supported its NATO membership, being one of the first countries to ratify the membership protocol. Trade between the two countries reached 221 million euros in 2020.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "France and Croatia". France Diplomatie :: Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  2. ↑ "PM Milanovic: Croatia forever with France in terms of values". vlada.gov.hr. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "Croatian-French relations" . Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  4. ↑ Frucht 2005, p. 433
  5. ↑ "Embassy of Croatia in Paris, France". www.embassypages.com. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  6. ↑ "Embassy of France in Zagreb, Croatia". www.embassypages.com. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  7. ↑ https://www.embassypages.com/france-consulate-split-croatia
  8. ↑ https://www.embassypages.com/croatia-consulate-lyon-france
  9. ↑ https://www.embassypages.com/croatia-consulate-toulouse-france
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Croatia in Europe Through the Ages: Croatian-French relations". croatia.eu. 23 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  11. ↑ Malkovic, Goran (2011). Francuski utjecaj. Sveučilišna knjižnica Split. pp. 17, 21, 38.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  12. ↑ "United States Air Force F-16s from Italy support NATO's collective defence in Croatia". ac.nato.int. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  13. ↑ "Rafalei i MiG-ovi proletjeli nad Zagrebom" [Rafales and MiGs flew over Zagreb]. index.hr. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  14. ↑ "Membership of the United Nations Security Council by Country". www.un.org. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  15. ↑ "Croatia". www.un.org. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  16. ↑ "MVEP • CROATIA AND THE SECURITY COUNCIL". www.mvep.hr. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  17. ↑ "Croatia declares Nov 16 day of mourning for Paris attack victims". vlada.gov.hr. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
  18. ↑ "Prime Minister Milanovic at the March for Democracy in Paris". vlada.gov.hr. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
  19. 1 2 Kennedy, Paul. "France-Croatia: Three things to know about the rivalry" . Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  20. ↑ Gregory, Sean (11 July 2018). "32 Teams Entered, 2 Remain. Your Ultimate Guide to the World Cup Final". Time. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  21. ↑ Mather, Andrew Das and Victor (14 July 2018). "France, the Class of the World Cup, Brings Home the Trophy" . Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  22. ↑ Briggs, Simon (25 November 2018). "Croatia win Davis Cup final as defeated France bemoan future of competition". The Telegraph. Retrieved 16 July 2019.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.