Author
The report was previously updated in July 2024.
International protection
Legislative framework
- In 2024, a new Law on Administrative Disputes, the Ordinance on Amendments to the Ordinance on Forms and Data Collections in the Procedure for Granting International and Temporary Protection, as well as the Ordinance on the Method of Application and Implementation of the Recognition of Prior Learning were adopted. According to the explanatory note of the Final Proposal of the Law on Administrative Disputes, some of the intended goals of the new law included: modernizing administrative dispute proceedings; abolishing the subsidiary application of the Law on Civil Procedure (which had previously been applied to certain aspects of administrative disputes); explicitly regulating these matters within the the Law on Administrative Disputes (such as representation, procedural discipline, order in court, and evidence rules); encouraging a more proactive role of courts in case resolution; reducing the duration of administrative disputes; improving procedural discipline; increasing legal certainty for parties; and eliminating legal under-regulation. Notably, the new Law explicitly states that in administrative disputes, courts must base decisions, among other things, on the acquis of the European Union.
Additionally, in December 2024, the Ministry of the Interior launched a public consultation on the Draft Proposal of the Law on Amendments to the Law on International and Temporary Protection (LITP).[1] The proposed amendments relate to the duration of temporary protection under the current LITP .The primary aim of the proposed amendments is to revise Article 79 of the current LITP, which limited the maximum duration of temporary protection to three years, without allowing for extensions beyond March 4, 2025, or when there is a continued need. Furthermore, the amendments will also introduce provisions for the development and adoption of a national strategic planning document, including its content, the competent authority for its adoption, and the deadline for its adoption.
Asylum procedure
- Access to the territory: Although the Ombudswoman reported that in 2024, a further decrease in the number of complaints on pushbacks to the Ombudsperson was recorded, pushback practices persisted throughout 2024, as reported by organisations such as the No Name Kitchen, Save the Children, Danish Refugee Council (DRC), the Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN), and the Centre for Peace Studies (CPS).
- Relevant case law on access to the territory: Concerning the case of H. and Others v. Croatia,[2] in July 2024, the Centre for Peace Studies and the Human Rights House Zagreb submitted a final communication to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, in accordance with Rule 9.2 of the Rules of the Committee of Ministers for the supervision of the execution of judgments and terms of friendly settlements.[3] With this third submission, they called upon the Croatian Government to adopt a concrete action plan that includes an effective investigation, the sanctioning of those responsible, and compensation to the family of the victim. They also demanded systemic changes to end unlawful pushbacks, ensure accountability, and establish effective oversight of police conduct and adherence to the rule of law in Croatia.[4]
- Key statistics on the asylum procedure: The number of applicants for international protection decreased compared to 2023, going from 68,114 in 2023 to 26,776 people making an application for international protection (i.e. expressing intention to apply for international protection) in 2024.[5] Out of the total number of expressed intentions to apply for international protection, the largest number of intentions was expressed (i.e., applications made) at border police stations, police stations and police administrations (25,739). Most intentions to apply for international protection were expressed at the Stara Gradiška border police station (3,681), followed by the Slavonski Brod border police station (3,119) and the Dvor border police station (2,378 ). 296 applicants for international protection expressed intentions at airport police stations, mostly in Zagreb (Pleso) (293), followed by Zadar (2) and Split (Resnik) (1). 195 applicants for international protection made their applications in detention centres (i.e., at the Reception Centre for Foreigners in Ježevo (90), the Transit Reception Centre in Tovarnik (34), and the Transit Reception Centre in Trilj (71)), so that the total number of intentions registered in detention in 2024 increased by 5% compared to 2023. According to the 2024 Ombudswoman report, out of a total of 26,776 expressed intentions, 1,419 applications for international protection were lodged. In 2024, the procedure for 15,338 applications for international protection was suspended, which is in line with the trend in the past few years.[6] In 2024, a total of 359 international protection applications were decided in meritum, and 279 applications were rejected. The recognition rate remained low, and 80 persons were granted international protection in 2024.
- Dublin procedure: In 2024, there was an increase in incoming Dublin transfers, and Croatia received a total of 1,698 incoming transfers which were carried out from the following Member States: Austria (249), Belgium (90), Czech Republic (7), Denmark (8), Finland (18), France (215), Greece (1), Germany (514), Hungary (11), Iceland (1), Italy (1), Liechtenstein (1), Luxembourg (12), Netherlands (106), Norway (42), Poland (2), Slovakia (4), Slovenia (57), Sweden (11), and Switzerland (348).[7] The practice of some Member States when tranferring individuals to Croatia is particularly concerning. In particular, in 2024, many of those transferred arrived in extremely poor physical and mental health and without medical documentation, which posed significant challenges for institutions and NGOs providing support in Croatia. Transfers often took place without any prior notice to the individuals concerned, sometimes during the night, leaving them unprepared and without the opportunity to collect their personal belonging. This severely hampered the timely provision of support, particularly for vulnerable groups such as trauma survivors and individuals with chronic or serious illnesses.
- Procedure for granting international protection: At the end of 2024, after the fall of the Assad regime, Croatia temporarily suspended the processing of applications for international protection of Syrian applicants for international protection. In Croatia, the processing of 53 applications was suspended.[8] The Ministry of Interior informed the Croatian Law Centre that Syrian citizens whose applications for international protection were suspended, continue to have the status of applicants as before and, accordingly, all the rights prescribed by the Law on International and Temporary Protection.[9]
Reception conditions
- Reception centres: Due to a lower number of applicants for international protection, reception capacities were not as strained in 2023. However, in 2024 complaints concerning accommodation conditions continued to be received as reported by the Ombudswoman and NGOs. According to information from the Croatian Red Cross, during 2024 a large number of applicants for international protection stayed in the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection for just a few days, while there were also those who stayed for less than 24 hours.[10]
In 2024, a total of 498 applicants for international protection were accommodated in social welfare institutions outside the in Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection.[11]
Detention of asylum seekers
- Restrictions to the freedom of movement: According to the Ministry of Interior, in 2024, the Service for Reception and Accommodation of Applicants for International Protection issued 52 decisions on restrictions of freedom of movement with a measure of detention in the Reception Centre for Foreigners in Ježevo and Transit Reception Centre for Foreigners in Trilj.[12] However, since decisions can also be issued by the police administrations/stations, the total number might be different.
Content of international protection
- Inclusion: No new Integration Action Plan was adopted in 2024, even the previous Integration Action Plan expired at the end of 2019. At the local level, in September 2024, a cooperation agreement between the City of Zagreb and UNHCR Croatia was signed and the Welcome Center (One Stop Shop) was opened in Zagreb with UNHCR’s support.[13] The One Stop Shop is envisaged as a unique central point for informing applicants for international protection, individuals granted international or temporary protection, and foreign workers with residence and work permits. It is the first service of this kind in Croatia.[14]
Other relevant developments
- Pact on Migration and Asylum: All EU Member States, including Croatia, were required to adopt a National Implementation Plan (NIP) regarding the Pact on Migration and Asylum by December 2024. The process of developing the NIP in Croatia is coordinated by the Ministry of the Interior, with a working group consisting of representatives from various ministries and the Office for Human Rights and the Rights of National Minorities. The process of developing and adopting the NIP is not public, nor is it open for public consultation with interested parties.[15]
Temporary protection
The information given hereafter constitutes a short summary of the annex on Temporary Protection to this report. For further information, see Annex on Temporary Protection.
Temporary protection procedure
- Registration for temporary protection: On 7 March 2022, the Government of the Republic of Croatia adopted the decision introducing temporary protection[16] on the basis of Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 of 4 March 2022, which establishes the existence of a mass influx of persons in accordance with Article 5 of Directive 2001/55/ EC. Applications for temporary protection need to be submitted at police stations, while the competent authority for recognising the temporary protection status lies with the Ministry of Interior. The application can be submitted in person at the police station or administration based on the place of residence of the applicant or via an online form available at the e-platform Croatia4Ukraine.[17] An exception was foreseen for those persons who were accommodated in collective accommodation, at times of increased arrivals of persons displaced from Ukraine to Croatia.[18] These persons did not have to go personally to the police station/administration, but could submit the application directly to the officials of the Ministry of the Interior who visited the collective accommodations in order to speed up the process of receiving and further processing of the applications.
- Scope of temporary protection: Pursuant to the aforementioned Government’s Decision, Croatia shall grant temporary protection to Ukrainian nationals and members of their families residing in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and who left Ukraine from 24 February 2022 onwards; stateless persons and third country nationals who were under international or equivalent national protection in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and members of their families who were granted residence in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and who left Ukraine since 24 February 2022; third country nationals who had a valid permanent stay in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 in accordance with Ukrainian regulations and who cannot return to their country or region of origin in safe and permanent conditions and who left Ukraine since 24 February 2022. Regarding those who had fled Ukraine before 24 February 2022, temporary protection shall also be granted to the displaced citizens of Ukraine and members of their families who left Ukraine immediately before 24 February 2022 due to the security situation and cannot return to the country because of the armed conflict. According to the official statement of the Ministry of Interior, ‘immediately before’ is to be considered as starting from 1 January 2022.[19]
Content of temporary protection
- Residence permit: After the person has been granted the status of temporary protection, the police administration, e., the police station competent based on the place of residence of the applicant, or officials of the Ministry of Interior or of the police administrations or police stations who are present in collective accommodation facilities issue the identity card of a foreigner under temporary protection to the person. The card is proof of having been granted TP status, represents the residence permit and serves as a valid document for exercising all the rights that beneficiaries are entitled to under the scope of protection status. Given the fact that the circumstances related to the introducing of temporary protection did not change over the course of the second year, in October 2023, a decision was reached at EU level to extend the TPD for an additional third year. Consequently, the Croatian Government implemented this decision, extending the duration of temporary protection until 4 March 2025.[20] Following the Council’s Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/1836 of 25 June 2024 extending temporary protection as introduced by Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382,[21] by which temporary protection is extended until 4 March 2026, on 19 December 2024 the Croatian Government launched a public consultation on a Proposal of the Law on amendments to the Law on International and Temporary Protection.[22] The Proposal, inter alia, aimed to revise Article 79, which limited temporary protection to three years, preventing extensions beyond 4 March 2025. Referred to the urgent legislative procedure, the proposal was finally adopted in 2025.[23] Displaced persons from Ukraine who have temporary protection in the Republic of Croatia will automatically have their temporary protection extended until 4 March 2026. According to the instructions of the Ministry, persons displaced from Ukraine who have been granted temporary protection in the Republic of Croatia should personally reach a police department or police station according to their place of residence in order to certify the extension of the validity of the identity card until 30 May 2025. The extension will be recorded in the existing identity card, and it is not necessary to submit a request for the extension of temporary protection. Persons who did not extend their identity cards until 30 May 2025 did not lose their status of temporary protection.
- Access to rights: Beneficiaries of temporary protection enjoy a wide range of rights in the Republic of Croatia, and no significant obstacles to their realisation have been observed due to the fast reaction of the authorities and the early establishment of an effective reception and care system. By amending the Law on Social Welfare in 2022, beneficiaries of temporary protection gained the right to receive all social services and benefits provided by law under the same conditions as Croatian citizens.
- Access to the labour market: Beneficiaries of temporary protection have unrestricted access to the labour market, as do Croatian citizens. What represents a difficulty is the insufficient knowledge of the Croatian language (and the lack of official language courses organised by the State) and the lengthy and expensive procedure of recognition and evaluation of foreign qualifications (especially for professions regulated by law). Therefore, options for employment in certain professions are significantly limited.
- Access to education: Access to primary and secondary education is fully facilitated and accessible. As for admission to higher education institutions, only some universities or their constituents decided to facilitate enrolment or continuation of studies, while the rest kept the quota system for third country nationals, which implies high tuition fees.
- Housing: Persons who cannot afford to live in private accommodation have two options available: accommodation in a collective centre where they are provided with free accommodation and food, and accommodation in private units that meet the prescribed conditions, for which a contract is concluded between the landlord and the State.
- Health care: Within the framework of exercising the right to health care, beneficiaries of temporary protection face problems that represent a general feature of the health care system in the Republic of Croatia – long-term waiting for specialist examinations. In addition, they are not entitled to contract supplementary health insurance. They enjoy the right to health care to the extent enjoyed by persons who are compulsorily insured, but at the same time they are not insured and the costs of their health care are covered directly from the budget of the Republic of Croatia. As a result, they are not able to contract supplementary insurance, except in the case of employment, which would avoid additional (and large) health care costs that exceed the scope of protection provided by compulsory insurance.
[1] Draft Proposal of the Law on Amendments to the Law on International and Temporary Protection, 19 December 2024, available at: https://esavjetovanja.gov.hr/ECon/MainScreen?entityId=20131
[2] ECtHR, Judgment in the case of M.H. and others v. Croatia (Applications nos. 15670/18 and 43115/18), available at: https://bit.ly/43wOzE9.
[3] Centre for Peace Studies, Human Rights House Zagreb: Communication to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, 26 July 2025, available at: https://www.cms.hr/wp-content/uploads/CPS_HRHZ_Rule_9.2_M.H._July_2024.pdf.
[4] Information provided by the Centre for Peace Studies, 27 February 2025.
[5] Ministry of Interior, Statistics 2024, available at https://mup.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/statistika/2025/1/Statistika%20medjunarodna%20zastita%202024.xlsx.
[6] Ombudswoman: Report of the Ombudswoman for 2024, page 268, available at: https://www.ombudsman.hr/hr/download/izvje-e-pu-ke-pravobraniteljice-za-2024-godinu/?wpdmdl=20339&refresh=67efca50785f31743768144/.
[7] Ministry of Interior, Statistics 2024, available at: https://mup.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/statistika/2025/1/Statistika%20medjunarodna%20zastita%202024.xlsx.
[8] Ministry of Interior: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Božinović on decisions on the suspension for citizens of Syria, 12 December 2024, available at: https://mup.gov.hr/vijesti/potpredsjednik-vlade-i-ministar-bozinovic-o-odlukama-o-obustavi-azila-za-drzavljane-sirije-video/294513.
[9] Information provided by the Ministry of Interior, 23 December 2024.
[10] Information provided by the Croatian Red Cross, 20 January 2025.
[11] Croatian Law Centre: The Croatian Asylum System in 2024- National Report; available at: https://www.hpc.hr/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/National-Asylum-Report-2024_CLC.pdf.
[12] Croatian Law Centre: The Croatian Asylum System in 2024- National Report; available at: https://www.hpc.hr/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/National-Asylum-Report-2024_CLC.pdf.
[13] Information provided by the UNHCR Office for Croatia, 18 March 2025.
[14] Information provided by the City of Zagreb, 20 September 2024.
[15] Information provided by the UNICEF Office for Croatia, 4 February 2025.
[16] Government of the Republic of Croatia: Decision on the Introduction of Temporary Protection in the Republic of Croatia for Displaced Persons from Ukraine, available in Croatian at: https://bit.ly/3VHeVlQ.
[17] Application is available in English, Croatian and Ukrainian at the following link: https://croatia4ukraine.mup.hr/Pages/Zahtjev.
[18] Government of the Republic of Croatia: Information on the status of temporary protection, available at: https://bit.ly/4c0Rf1D.
[19] Information provided by the Ministry of Interior on 10 November 2022.
[20] Government of the Republic of Croatia: Decision on the Extension of Temporary Protection for Displaced Persons from Ukraine, available at: https://bit.ly/4b0Ugh7.
[21] Council of the EU, Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/1836 of 25 June 2024 extending temporary protection as introduced by Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382, OJ L, 2024/1836, 3 July 2024, available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2024/1836/oj/eng#ntr3-L_202401836EN.000101-E0003.
[22] Proposal of the Law on amendments to the Law on International and Temporary Protection, 19 December 2024, available at: https://esavjetovanja.gov.hr/ECon/MainScreen?entityId=20131.
[23] Law on Amendments to the Law on International and Temporary Protection, 11 February 2025, available at: https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2025_02_17_161.html.