]UNY - DECEMBER 1998 127 The role of in the Expansion of the European Union and NATO

Janko Vranyczany-Dobrinovic

Although parts of the Croatian public opin- which can only exacerbate problems. This is a diffi- ion and inadequately informed media take the view cult and exhausting task in view of the large number that the relations between Croatia and the European of opinion and decision makers and the multiplicity Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization of interests.In an age of electronic communication, are only just beginning, with Croatia standing be- our manoeuvring space is fairly limited. fore the closed doors of institutionalized relation- I must add also that we suffer from a shortage ship without clearly defined intentions and visions, of professional people with international experience it is important to stress at the outset that this view is in foreign-policy marketing and lobbying.Equally, wrong. On the contrary, the relations are well-de- the funds needed for such activities are in short sup- veloped, the diplomatic exchanges from both sides ply. For these reasons, this segment of our activity is highly intensive, and the relationships very intricate, not as effective as we would like it to be. one might almost say atypical and falling outside lt goes without saying that diplomatic repre- the usual norms of diplomatic conduct. sentatives have the task to prepare clear, unbiased, lt is important to note unemotional and confiden- also that the diplomatic cir- NATO wishes to have relations with tial messages for their gov- cuit in Zagreb, consisting of stable and well-organized states ernments, giving their as- within clear and stable borders. At representatives of different sessment of the situation the same time the EU is undergoing countries as well as inter- and their views and com- a continuous, complex and national governmental and ments on the intentions and long-term process of socio-political non-governmental organi- harmonization, involving the forthcoming moves of the zations, including the E.U. standardization of legislation, individual governments or, and NATO, generates as- establishment of common external as in our case, large agglom- sessments that occasionally borders and introduction of a erations of governments. lead to misunderstandings. common monetary system. Diplomatic representatives The Croatian diplomacy Croatia undoubtedly belongs to the must formulate their mes- makes systematic and de- Christian, Central-European and sages without regard for termined efforts to correct Mediterranean civilizational circle. how well or how badly they the assessments that are oc- In the period of the intention of will be received by those for casionally one-sided and international community to extend whom they are intended. insufficiently deep. It the ancient border of the European Since Croatia's rela- civilization to the Black Sea by makes moves, often suc- tions with the North Atlan- europeanizing of the unstable cessful and on occasion less tic Treaty Organization are Balkans Croatia has a very so, to provide a more bal- clearer and simpler, more important geographic position. anced picture and shed ad- attention will be devoted in The international community ditional light on the situa- believes that real stabilization of what follows to our relations tion, blunting the sharp that region could be achieved only with the European Union, edges and relativizing and by economic development, and which are more complex, reconciling opposing broader economic cooperation. more intricate, and - to use views. It certainly tries to the expression favoured by avoid crude labelling, un- Key words: Croatia, EU, NATO our Foreign Minister - in- supported by arguments, deed "multilayered". 128 CROATIAN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS REVIEW

Although 12 of the 16 NATO members are Both organizations followed, joined (each in also members of the fifteen-strong European Union its way) and influenced the process of disintegra- and thus seemingly guided by the same political in- tion of Yugoslavia. We shall not go into the details structions of their governments and the common of their involvement and their failure to act in the view that membership in the two organizations is conflicts in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina or into open exclusively to totally open democratic societ- the reasons for the American change of policy at a ies, their thinking begins to differ when specific cases later stage of the conflict in the region. are brought up. The courageous and effective Croatian de- NATO is a combination of a political-ideo- fence in the Patriotic Defence War against a still logical (formerly strongly anticommunist) and de- existing powerful communist army earned Croatia fence-security (formerly anti-Warsaw Pact) group- general sympathy and admiration of all the mem- ing, with highly complex and sophisticated tasks, bers of these organizations (with two notable excep- standard organization and weapons purchase. The tions), especially of NATO, in which the spirit of leading voice in the organization is that of the United anticommunism and anti-Warsaw Pact was still alive. States, without whose approval no major decision The two members who did not show such sympathy can be passed. From the global security aspect, regretted the loss of influence in the region that they NATO wishes to have relations with stable and well- had enjoyed as a result of the Treaty of Versailles organized states within clear and stable borders. and the AVNOJ arrangements for Yugoslavia. The The European Union, for its part, is a predomi- early sympathy for Croatia gradually evaporated, es- nantly economic grouping undergoing a continuous, pecially among our German friends, giving way to complex and long-term process of socio-political disappointment and growing criticism. The reason harmonization, involving the standardization ofleg- was a feeling among some people that Croatia was islation, establishment of common external borders establishing an authoritarian single-party regime and introduction of a common monetary system. It which was at odds with its Euro-Atlantic aspirations. has the common European Parliament, which will Another reason was the evolution of Croatian poli- gradually be given increasing powers. The common cies in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the worsening con- world view and social component, democracy, simi- flict with the Bosnian Muslims. The Croats, initially lar social systems and common philosophy are gain- seen as victims of aggression, were now accused of ing in importance alongside the economic compo- banding together with the aggressor to attack an in- nent. They are firmly and explicitly based on recon- ternationally recognized victim. In this context, our ciliation, humanism, mutual respect and partnership, critics did not wish to consider the possibility that and reduced nationalism. the Muslims, too, might have contributed to the out- This is the system that will continue to de- break of the conflict. Much of the international com- velop, and in the process the Republic of Croatia munity and its public opinion expected the Croats, L will undoubtedly join it over time. as a nation belonging to the civilized "European While NATO and the United States have a circle", to show qualities of chivalry in defending I much broader geographic perspective and much larger the new and even more brutally attacked victim and interest and security concerns, as well as more spe- thus vitally contribute to the resolution of the r cific responsibilities and relations with, for instance, Bosnian crisis. and the countries of the former Soviet Union, The ever-present anti-Croatian propaganda the Caucasus, the Middle East, North Africa, the Per- succeeded in strengthening the international percep- sian Gulf, South and East Asia, etc., the European tion of Croatia as the negotiating partner of the ag- Union limits its attempts at economic, ideological and gressor in an attempt to carve up the internationally political unification to a more specifically defined and recognized state of Bosnia-Herzegovina. This per- more narrow geographical area - that of its present ception was strengthened following Croatian mili- members and candidates. This process goes deeper tary actions and detentions of Muslims in Mostar and is socially more far-reaching than the mere mem- and the surrounding region, the demolition of the bership in the North Atlantic Alliance. Old Bridge, and the cruelties in the Lasva Valley and some other parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Position of the Republic of Croatia Such an international perception was damag- ing for Croatia, and it had numerous negative con- What is the position of the Republic of Croatia sequences.It improved a little, though still not suf- in relation to these two organizations and their dif- ficiently, following Croatia's military successes in ferences? Bosnia-Herzegovina, which broke the stalemate and ]UNY - DECEMBER 1998 129 made possible the Dayton Accords. Even today The disintegration of Yugoslavia, helped along Croatia continues to be judged cautiously and with by the unrealistically exaggerated aspirations of the reservations, often without well-founded reasons. Serbian politician Milosevic and the more realistic Some people fear that it might have a hidden and achievements of the Croatian President Tudman, pro- unclear agenda regarding the constitutional provi- vided the historic opportunity to arrange, by inter- sions for Bosnia-Herzegovina and the implementa- national consensus, the relations in the traditionally tion of the Dayton Accords - this despite the lifting unstable and sensitive south-east of the European of the blockade of Bihac, the decisive contributions continent with a population of some 70 million. Ever to the realization of the Dayton agreements, the posi- since the Vienna and the Berlin Congress, through tive developments in the process of transition, the the Balkan Wars, the assassination in Sarajevo, the cooperation with the Hague tribunal, the efforts to treaties of Versailles, Trianon and St. Germain, the develop special relations with the Federation and the Yalta meeting, and the break-up of the Warsaw Pact, state of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the successful this region has been chronically unstable and unbal- peaceful integration of the Croatian Danube Region. anced, with numerous, multi-layered and not easily To return to our relations with NATO, they fulfilled claims and counterclaims. A short lull - have always been exceptionally open, cordial, un- short from a historical perspective - occurred in the complicated, friendly and partner-like. This was true region during Tito's rule, but this interim arrange- and remained to be true when Croatia was interna- ment did not have the makings of a permanent solu- tionally recognized, and has remained true until the tion. present day. Without a partnership agreement, we continue to have a series of talks, visits, personal International Community and the Balkans communications, exchange of messages and confi- dential information. This has made it possible at The international community does not have a many decisive moments during these years to trans- clear definition of the Balkans, and the boundaries mit to the President and Supreme Commander and vary depending on whether one relies on geogra- to the Minister of Defence the views, concerns, warn- phy, history, religion, schisms, Ottoman conquests, ings, sometimes neutral attitudes, of the NATO etc. The tenn is generally applied to a state of politi- Council regarding the developments such as the con- cal instability in a part of Europe, ethnic and reli- flict in the Neretva Valley, the Bosnians' abortive gious mixture and intolerance, mentality of revenge, attempt to build the port of Neum, the conflicts in myths, archaic social backwardness, arrogance and the Lasva Valley, the Bihac area and south-western pride, spitefulness, blatant lies, cowardice at one Bosnia, the beginning of the u.S. involvement, moment and courage at another. Croatian military moves in the UNPAs, etc. Many Milosevic with his imperialist and aggressive of these moves were accompanied by public expres- manner and Tudman and Kucan in a realistic and sions of disapproval, sometimes by turning a blind non-aggressive manner (the latter succeeding in leav- eye, often by fixing maximum lines and deadlines, ing the Balkan scene altogether) helped to create a all of which helped to confirm and supplement situation in which the Balkans can be gradually and Ambassador Galbraith's direct messages on these finally "debalkanized" and a solution can be found Issues. for the very complex issue deriving from the col- Let us now try to take a sober look at the com- lapse and disintegration of the Ottoman and Austro- mon stand that NATO and the E.U. have in relation Hungarian Empires (which has remained unsolved to this region. until the present day despite the various Balkan wars While respecting the civilizational and eco- and different versions of Yugoslavia). nomic specificities and differences of the countries It is paradoxical that this opportunity should in the wider region, recognizing that Croatia belongs arise out of an unforeseen international constella- for the most part to the more narrow Christian and tion triggered off by tragic conflicts provoked by the Central European and Mediterranean civilizational weakening Yugoslav People's Army and paramili- circle, the international community intends to ex- tary units (the same forces that are now fighting per- tend the ancient border of the European civilization haps their last battles in Kosovo). on the River Una, valid until the Berlin Congress, The international constellation was created by by some 950 km to the east, all the way to the Black the fall of the Berlin Wall, the disintegration of the Sea, taking in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Warsaw Pact, the Soviet Union and Tito's Yugosla- Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Romania, via, and the emergence of new, more naturally bal- and . anced states and the simultaneous expansion and 130 CROATIAN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS REVIEW strengthening of the European Union. The two ma- Bosnia-Herzegovina is at present undergoing jorpowers, the E.U. and the U.S.(the latter working the process of creation of a temporary Euro-Ameri- through NATO) are today assuming the role of arbi- can protectorate-type condominium, while in Alba- ters in the Balkans that Austria- played in nia, despite the chaotic and undemocratic situation, its time (politically inadequate though its efforts a permanent NATO base is being built to support might have been in the face of Russia's opposition the more important base at Vicenza in . The base and Greater Serbian aspirations, which highjacked at Kaposvar in Hungary will be situated near the main the Yugoslav ideas of other South Slav ethnic groups Trans- European transport corridor: Copenhagen- for their own ends). Berlin-Prague-Bratislava-Budapest-Salonica. There Today there is emptiness in what were the lines will be also NATO facilities in Croatia. of confrontation of the superpowers in the former It is the interest and expressed wish of the in- Yugoslavia, and there is little likelihood of the Rus- ternational community to achieve a clear and last- sian presence making itself felt. The whole region ing stability in the countries of the former Yugosla- needs to be reconciled, democratized, and economi- via and in the entire region extending from the River cally, communicationally and energy-wise firmly Sutla to the Black Sea. For this, there is a general integrated in accordance with the visions of NATO consensus. and the European Union. Russia should be included Whether we like it or not,Croatia is seen as in the process, but without any decisive influence belonging to this region - not in civilizational terms, and status. but in terms of its importance for the existence of This would mean debalkanizing and Bosnia-Herzegovina, its long semicircular border europeanizing the whole geographic space between with the Balkan Bosnia-Herzegovina, the particular the Adriatic and the River Una and the Aegean Sea function of its port of Ploce, its common borders (with Greece already a member of the Euro-Atlantic with Serbia and Montenegro, and finally its role as organizations), possibly before the start of negotia- a signatory and guarantor of the Dayton Accords. tions on 's admission to the European Union. Austria, which took over the presidency of the This may be seen also as the "Scandina- European Union on 1 July 1998, stresses its support vization" of the region as envisaged by President for the interests of the present-day national states Tudman, provided that the Croatian President con- emerging from the earlier multinational grouping of vinces the international community that he is ready peoples in Central Europe. It also recognizes its role to accept Bosnia-Herzegovina as a separate state, to as a bridge between the West and the East and South- renounce any territorial claims on the parts of Bosnia- east, which was noted also by Pope John Paul II dur- Herzegovina with the Croatian majority, and to find ing his last visit to Austria. acceptable ways of stopping the interference in the In this large geographic space between the financial, customs and payments competencies of River Sutla and the Black Sea, plagued by emotive I an internationally recognized sovereign state, which national spasms and revindications, Croatia is per- r the international community finds highly irritating. haps the greatest civilizational heir to the legacy of I This concept of gradual reconciliation and the former Central European monarchy - not its expansion of the E.U. and NATO all the way to Varna negative traits such as the predominant position of i and beyond does not reckon with the still present. the Austrians and Hungarians over the other nations, ideas of dividing the region along schismatic, but its positive traits and traditions, which prompted civilizational, Yalta-drawn imaginary boundaries and Churchill to say that it had been "the best structure intellectual speculations of people like Huntington, in Europe before the creation of a community of Kissinger and Claes. Still less does it reckon with European nations". This common past within a the revival of a new, unstable Yugoslavia. Rather, it multicultural community is the source of tolerance envisages the creation of new constellations at the and multiethnic coexistence. With its rich Central time of shortening distances and relativized narrowly European and Mediterranean cultural and historical national aspirations in the context of global electronic heritage, with Illyrian-Roman, Old Croatian, and satellite communication. Carolinguian, Romanic, Gothic, Renaissance, Ba- In the present, historically unprecedented situ- roque, Biedermeier, Sezession, and modem compo- ation, there is no longer a structured "other side", nents, and natural beauty of the sub-Alpine, either as a partner or as an opponent in an attempt to Pannonian, Dinaric, Karst, and Mediterranean en- divide the region. This makes possible a unidirec- vironment, Croatia is in itself a small European mi- tional spread of global Euro-Atlantic security, eco- crocosm (somewhat balkanized since 1918) possess- nomic and market interests. ing the charm of a civilizational border in which ]UNY - DECEMBER 1998 131 things function in accordance with the human mea- lar, support and adviser to Euro-Atlantic statesmen sure. This truly rich legacy enables it to take a lead in the inevitable process sketched above. in building a specifically Croatian multiethnic soci- The map of the main economic, investment ety with Euro-humanistic components and to assume and development zones shows that the main such the role of a link, cultural and economic source of zone extends from southern , through cen- radiation, and participant in positive communication tral to northern Italy. A rather broad pe- in all areas and all directions. ripheral zone of development covers northern and central Croatia, the regions of Maribor, Vienna, Opportunity for Croatia Prague, Berlin, southern and the Baltic states, extending to Moscow and taking in parts of The international community believes that the Hungary and . A large part of Croatia lies on long-awaited stabilization in the region can be the edges of the Vienna-Prague-Berlin zone. achieved only in parallel with the process of recon- Croatia is not expected at this moment - and ciliation and economic development, beginning with this needs to be properly understood - to participate broader regional economic cooperation to prepare in the design of the region up to and including the and determine the future European architecture of Black Sea by providing complementary assistance the entire region. This is the strategic essence of the to its former partners in the Central European em- so-called regional approach and the accompanying pire of Austria-Hungary, such as Poland, the Czech conditions as drafted by the Italian diplomat Amadeo Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and . How- de Franchis and adopted on 24 February 1997. Eu- ever, it is expected to provide significant assistance rope and NATO are thus extending the European to its former partners in the former Yugoslavia and space by several hundred kilometres, all the way to the neighbouring countries. This is a somewhaten- the Black Sea, which somewhat relativizes the posi- larged region with which Croatia does not have any tion of Croatia and its civilizational and geographic traditional, civilizational or religious links. The un- specificities in a region with many unresolved dis- fortunate links that it has are marked by recent ex- putes, but at the same time presents it with an op- perience and present-day realities, the geographic portunity to playa particular role in the process. This position and communication lines. For the Brussels- is the opportunity that we should not miss. We should based organizations, this is a region that requires sta- note that the European Union and the international bility, reconciliation, reconstruction, development, community, every organization and each key mem- and opening of communication lines. This, in fact, ber of such an organization, intend - without a real is the essence, in the European view, of the notori- rush - to turn this region into a big Euro-Atlantic ous "regional approach" supported also by the United building site for many tens of years to come. This States (SECI). An important geopolitical role in this will also be a major market for Croatian goods and process will be played - apart from Croatia - by Hun- stimulate foreign investments that aim to reach larger gary, Serbia (present-day Yugoslavia), Bulgaria, and markets. the strategically important Albania. In the opinion of some present and former dis- From Croatian perspective, the objection to tinguished statesmen and high officials of the Euro- the regional approach is that the sovereign state, pean Union (Chirac, Mock, Cossiga, Kinkel, member of the United Nations and the Council of Schussel, Burghardt, and others), the Croatian Presi- Europe, though young and newly emerged on the dent - whose unrelenting energy and pragmatic cau- international scene, is not allowed to choose its own tion enabled Croatia to become internationally rec- "preferred partners", groupings and clubs. Instead, ognized as a sovereign state - should continue and these choices are imposed upon it in a paternalistic complete his historic mission by supplementing his manner, supposedly well-intended, and yet meant more narrow nationalism with additional statesman- to squeeze it into a club of politically, economically like visions of reconciliation, forgiveness, and coex- and psychologically "non-preferred" partners that it istence of recently rebellious and mutually hostile eth- has only recently and with great effort managed to nic groups. He should continue to build a tolerant, get rid of. The international community is not likely democratic and law-based state and to bring such a to give up this concept, but this is not to say that it state as a small but regionally important member into cannot be gradually relativized and more flexibly the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty and selectively applied in different countries. Croatia Organization, providing a regional model of an at- has a special role to play in this concept, with spe- tractive, democratic economic and political partner. cial future opportunities, but equally with special This would make the Croatian President a pil- yardsticks to measure every step that it takes.

------~ 132 CROATIAN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS REVIEW

Croatia is seen in this concept as an important Croatia tends to advertise itself as a regional link between Central Europe and the wider Balkans, military power, which could be understood by some which gives it double importance but also makes it people as a form of threat and as such incompatible a double possible beneficiary to play the role of a with the European views, especially not for the so- driving engine. cial-democrat, left-liberal and green parliamentar- This is the role that would be very much to ians, who occupy dominant positions in the Euro- the liking of Draskovic, Gaj, Jelacic, Sokcevic, pean Parliament and many national parliaments. Mazuranic, Kukuljevic, Vranyczany, Archduke An added problem cited by the international Ferdinand, Supilo, Radic and Macek, and chimes community at the present time, more as lip service well with the idea of Scandinavization and broader than a genuine humanistic attitude, is the problem visions of Franjo Tudrnan. of return of Croatian citizens with the internation- For this supposedly privileged role - for which ally recognized right of citizenship, the return of their Croatia should be grateful- there is for the time be- property and housing, and their equal participation ing only one fundamental obstacle in the view of most in the civil society of their country. It must be said members and agents of the international community. that there are some objective grounds for such ap- The free elections inaugurated a Croatian prehensions. model of democracy and system of government, As events evolve and concrete problems ap- which removed the Communist system and subse- pear, the international community modifies, removes quently changed political and economic structures or imposes its conditions in accordance with the in line with the more successful countries of the momentary needs and interests and in keeping with former Warsaw Pact and present-day E.U. and NATO its priorities. This leaves the impression of a set of candidates. This system is satisfactory and accept- instruments that can be arbitrarily used. able to an important part of the Croatian electorate, As for Croatia, the government, the parliamen- while for the majority in the international commu- tary majority, much of the media and a large propor- nity it still does not possess enough attributes of a tion of the Croatian public opinion have their own totally open democracy. Additionally, it carries the assessments of the views of the international com- burden of long-term obligations with respect to the munity. Their assessments are based on living reali- Dayton Accords. ties, our moral and material capabilities, but just as in any other country - regardless of the desire for The Relevance of the European Standards consensual cooperation - there are technical, finan- cial, security and domestic policy limits. Nobody can The international community considers that deny that the main interest of a country is the integ- in the wake of the breakdown of Yugoslavia and rity of its borders and security within the state. preparations for self-defence there appeared an ex- ....I cessively single-party system, inadequate legislative The Croatian citizens should realize - which protection and media freedoms, legally camouflaged is neither easy nor, over a short tenn, with events persecution of the media, and a widely criticized still fresh in the people's minds, actually possible- ..•.• electoral law. In spite of its very good constitution, that it is necessary, in the interest of a nation with I positive macro-economic indicators, undeniable European and humanistic traditions, to balance and military and other successes, Croatia is perceived as relativize the cardinal syndrome that blurs our vi- insufficiently European and excessively nationalist. sion, namely, the attitude towards the Serbs. A simi- Speaking of nationalism, not every form of lar syndrome exists among many Serbs and nationalism should be a priori and uncritically dis- Montenegrins and prevents rational thinking, debate missed. It can prove an ally in the building of de- and constructive action. Reconciliation, settlement mocracy and free civil society when it is an expres- of disputes and accounts is inevitable. Similar con- sion of a desire to correct obvious historical injus- siderations apply to relations with the Muslims. tice, tyranny, suppression of identity, and economic There is a basic misunderstanding between the exploitation. interested parties. Many people in Croatia and in the However, once these injustices have been cor- world see that the international community's stand rected, nationalism should not be allowed to develop towards Croatia is one-sided, more severe, almost into a penn anent state and offered as a pat answer to less just than towards many other countries which any problems and challenges. If this should happen, are now closer to being integrated into Europe. Such it becomes a hindrance or an excuse for the exclu- misunderstandings should be overcome through con- sion of others. sensus and constant effort on both sides. ]UNY - DECEMBER 1998 133

The situation just described needs to be pean humanistic views, Christian tradition, noted, but should not be given too much weight. multiethnic and multireligious tolerance, multiparty Such misunderstandings should not be the civil society, and global economic interaction. How- reason for an isolationist reflex in Croatia, but an ever, such societies have at their disposal demo- incentive for more resolute steps to open small cratic instruments for the correction of mistakes country, with only 4,784,000 inhabitants, to the rest and possible amendments and improvements. Such of the world. This can be done in the first place societies involve their citizens in the process of relying on a clear and decisive economic develop- transparent control. Free exchange of goods and ment programme, designed to develop weakened, services and collective efforts make possible the inefficient economy, suffering from chronic short- growth of the gross domestic product and personal ages of finance. In addition, there is a need for for- income of every citizen of that community, espe- eign investments and technological and marketing cially in the less developed regions. Taken as a know-how. This is required to stimulate the growth whole, this is not such a bad programme. The ma- of production and exports, development of more jority of the Croatian political and civic public opin- profitable tourism, rational agriculture, stronger ion accepts this concept. Finally, it must be kept in small businesses, intensified scientific research, all mind that there are 360 million citizens in the E.U. ofthis in the interest of creating more jobs. Such a and that there will be 450 million in a few years. bold economic programme should be accompanied Croatia is much smaller: our population is not much by a harmonization of our legislative, free market, more than that of a major European city. financial, health, scientific and other systems with Main tenet is that the Republic of Croatia the European standards in these areas. cannot accept the loss of its sovereign or political Simultaneously with the improvement of powers, except those, one day, that the other mem- democratic system, Crotia's significant economic bers of the European Union voluntarily surrendered results would enable it, following the inclusion in when they joined the E.U. the PHARE programme and the signing of the first There are two views within the European agreement with the European Union, to speed up Union on the structural integration of that organi- the process of preparing an agreement on associa- zation. One view, advocated by Germany and re- tion and possibly catch up with the second-circle cently somewhat weakened, sees it as a federation candidates for future membership in the E.U. of European states; the other view, proposed by In the words of Croatian President, Croatia , prefers a union of interest of equal nations. now finds itself at the point at which it should spare The latter view, would be acceptable to a majority no effort to become part of the E.U. and NATO. of Croatian citizens. Croatian population know very well that this is their Compared with other candidates, as already national interest. noted, Croatia's position is more difficult and ac- The entry into the European Union and tually atypical. This should not discourage it, but NATO is a crucial step for Croatia and for future rather prompt it to bring together all social, eco- generations and therefore requiring a consensus of nomic and political forces for a joint effort to start all citizens to secure interests and the hard won on this path, never losing sight of national interest. and defended identity. Such decisions are not a task Croatia's foreign policy derives from the ba- for one group or party in any country. The decision sic economic and security interests of its citizens. depends on the democratically elected bodies, par- It must be rooted domestically and remain open liaments, and on the consensus of the citizens. and acceptable to a large selection of its citizens. It is well known that in most E.U. countries One of the tasks of the Croatian Government and with a highly praised democratic models of value its diplomacy is to create the conditions in which and tolerance there are social injustices, corrup- its bilateral relations and relations with multina- tion, unemployment, frequent protests and strikes, tional organizations and communities can proceed decline in social values, drug abuse, organized on an equal footing, in a gentlemanly fashion, re- crime and criminal enrichment, interference of eco- sponsibly, without imposition, and with a desire nomic interests in the media, illegal financing of for effective cooperation in dignity and reasonable- political parties, and many other deficiencies of the ness within the limits of the possible. • kind that Croatia is reproached with. But in this array of negative traits there is room also for Euro-