Croatian MP warns Serbia’s travel advisory could strain bilateral relations

The President of the Croatian National Council (HNV) in Serbia and Member of the Croatian Parliament, Jasna Vojnić, stated that the new travel advisory system issued by Serbia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding Croatia could negatively affect relations between the two countries and create discomfort among Croats in Serbia.

“Of course, every country has the right to issue recommendations for its citizens,” Vojnić said in a statement to Croatian media in Vojvodina, adding that she believes “it is important to consider the messages such measures send, as they can negatively impact the atmosphere in relations between two neighboring countries.”

She added that she believes any disagreements should be resolved through dialogue and efforts should be made to ease tensions, CE Report quotes HINA.

“For members of the Croatian community in Serbia, who are naturally connected with people and institutions in Croatia, any measure that creates additional distance can cause some discomfort, which is why maintaining stable and good relations is particularly important,” she emphasized.

This week, Serbia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs introduced a travel advisory system for its citizens, a so-called “traffic light” system, categorizing countries based on security risk.

Croatia was placed in the orange category, meaning citizens are advised to travel there only if necessary.

Some analysts and media in Serbia have noted that such a recommendation could further strain relations between the two countries, while others emphasize that it is a common practice for countries to provide safety assessments for their citizens.

In Croatia, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs stated that the country is one of the safest in Europe and expressed regret over Serbia’s assessment.

foto Velimir Ilić