It is with great satisfaction that the National Federation of Croatian American Cultural Foundations (NFCA) on Thursday (April 7th) applauds the United States for its strategic recognition thirty years ago of the Republic of Croatia as a new independent nation-state in the within the international community. .

It was in January 1992, when a third of Croatia was still occupied by the Yugoslav People’s Army, that the European Economic Community and the United Nations granted diplomatic recognition to the Republic of Croatia.

The United States recognized the Republic of Croatia as a newly independent nation on April 7, 1992. However, it was not until 22 May 1992 that three of the five dissolved states of the former Republic of Yugoslavia were admitted to the United Nations: Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Shortly thereafter, the United States Consulate General in Zagreb was granted official embassy status on August 25, 1992. The first American Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia was Peter Galbraith, and the former diplomat remains a good friend to this day. of the NFCA.

NFCA President Steve Rukavina noted on the milestone anniversary that: “I am so proud to recognize that over the past thirty years, the Republic of Croatia and the United States have built extremely strong and reliable relations bilaterally and within the framework of the NATO alliance as well. Croatia’s continued success in building a secure and sustainable democracy and a market-oriented society deserves more praise.

NFCA board members including Ed Pazo and former U.S. Senator Mark Begich with U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Bob Kohorst (2017)

NFCA Executive Vice President Andrea Novak Neumann added, “The establishment of Croatia as an independent country in 1992 against all odds was a phenomenal geopolitical achievement, which our Croatian American community has so proudly supported. from the beginning. Croatia’s full ascension into the NATO Alliance was the next milestone achievement. This strategically important multilateral defensive organization, through the collective defense provisions of Article 5 of this treaty, protected the Republic of Croatia from further invasions.

The NFCA provided valuable strategic assistance in guiding the NATO treaty through the US Senate, which ultimately approved Croatia’s full membership in 2009. Croatia became the 28th member of the European Union in July 2013.

NFCA delegation meeting with US Ambassador Julieta Valls Noyes at the State Department, 2015.

This additional international achievement further signified the established and growing geostrategic importance of Croatia in the hinge region of South Eastern Europe.

The Croatian-American community remains immensely proud of Croatia’s development of its respected and stable democracy and its role in Southeast Europe as a strong NATO ally.

In tribute, Trubaduri, the popular Croatian pop music group from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, recorded and released a new song. It commemorates the 30th anniversary of the end of the Siege of Dubrovnik and the official recognition by the United States of Croatia as an independent and resolutely Western-oriented nation in world affairs.

The song, “The White Knight,” will premiere at an NFCA celebration reception on April 7 in Washington, DC, to further honor this milestone anniversary between the United States and Croatia.