Recognition of the Republic of Croatia by the Holy See in Croatian Memoiristics

On the 30th anniversary of the international recognition of the Republic of Croatia

Abstract

After the Declaration of Independence by the Republic of Croatia on June 25, 1991, which entered into force by a decision of the Croatian Parliament on October 8, 1991, Croatian diplomacy sought to achieve international recognition of the Republic of Croatia as soon as possible. She was supported greatly in this process by the diplomacy of the Holy See, which was guided by the principles of its diplomatic activity — but also by the historically conditioned favour found by the Croats with Pope John Paul II — and very actively encouraged the international recognition process of the Republic of Croatia, as well as the Republic of Slovenia. This article presents some of the most important events during this process, seen from the perspective of Croatian memoiristics. After the introductory section, which recalls the long history of relations between Croats and the Holy See and the main features and goals of the diplomacy of the Holy See, the central section presents the process of the international recognition of Croatia by the Holy See and the establishment of diplomatic relations, with special reference to the testimonies of the last Yugoslav ambassador to the Holy See, Ivica Maštruko, and the first ambassador of the Republic of Croatia, Ivo Livljanić. The author concludes that the recognition of the Republic of Croatia by the Holy See on January 13, 1992, two days prior to recognition by the states of the European Community, sets a precedent in the history of its diplomacy. The Holy See — though we must not neglect the great role of Pope John Paul II in the circumstances of the denouement of the Yugoslav crisis — demonstrated great skill in diplomatic direction and management of political processes and made a key contribution to the international recognition of the Republic of Croatia.