Statistics

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Croatian Law Centre Visit Website

Overview of statistical practice

Applications and granting of protection status at first instance: 2023

Limited asylum statistics for 2023 can be found on the website of the Ministry of Interior (MOI).[1] However, publicly available statistics on a breakdown on the outcome of the procedure are not available, but the Ministry of Interior provided statistics to Croatian Law Centre in writing.[2] In 2023, 68,114 people made an application for international protection (54,185 male, 13,929 female)[3]. The top 10 countries were: Afghanistan (19,295), Turkey (11,199), Russian Federation (8,507), Morocco (5,839), Pakistan (4.658), Iraq (3,883), Syria (3,752), Bangladesh (2,472), Cuba (1,346) and Nepal (1,092).  However, out of the total number of applicants, only 1,783 applications for international protection were then lodged (1,685 new applications and 98 subsequent applications). 11 applications were dismissed as inadmissible.

International protection was granted to 52 persons (50 asylum, 2 subsidiary protection). Asylum was granted to nationals of Burundi (2), DR Congo (1), Eritrea (2), Iraq (1), Iran (5), Cuba (1), Ivory Coast (9), Russian Federation (23). Syria (1), Turkey (3) and stateless persons (2). Subsidiary protection was granted to one national of Libya and one national of Russian Federation.

According to the Ombudsperson in the course of 2023, 6,396 procedures for international protection (not limited to applications submitted in 2023) were suspended.[4]

In its report on visit to Croatia in 2022, GREVIO notes that while limited data on asylum procedures are collected and made available by the Ministry of Interior, this does not include data on the grounds under which refugee status is granted, disaggregated by sex. It is therefore not possible to determine whether any women have been granted refugee status on the basis of belonging to a specific social group or on the basis of any other ground. In this respect, GREVIO stresses the importance of disaggregated data collection for identifying trends in violence against women in the asylum field.[5]

(1) Croatian asylum legislation does not foresee the possibility for asylum authorities to issue humanitarian protection decisions. However, the Foreigners Act allows for the recognition of temporary stay on humanitarian grounds.

Gender/age breakdown of the total number of applicants: 2023

Source: Ministry of Interior, Statistics 2023, available at: https://bit.ly/3Xr1uYp; also information provided by the Ministry of Interior, 8 March 2024.

First instance and appeal decision rates: 2023

It should be noted that, during the same year, the first instance and appeal authorities handle different caseloads. Thus, the decisions below do not concern the same applicants.

Source: Ministry of Interior,  Statistics 2023, available at: https://bit.ly/3Xr1uYp; Administrative Court of Zagreb, 12 January 2024; Administrative Court of Rijeka, 19 January 2024.

[1] Ministry of Interior, Statistics 2023, available at: https://bit.ly/3Xr1uYp.

[2] Information provided by the Ministry of Interior, 8 March 2024.

[3] In terms of Croatian legislation making application is called “expressing the intention to submit/lodge application for international protection“.

[4] Report of the Ombudswoman for 2023, available in Croatian at: https://bit.ly/4crt2kR.  

[5] GREVIO, (Baseline) Evaluation Report on legislative and other measures giving effect to the provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention)-CROATIA, 26 May 2023, available at: https://rm.coe.int/baseline-evaluation-report-on-croatia/1680ac76c9.

[6] Numbers of both men and women include accompanied and unaccompanied children.