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Croatia

Croatia signed the Convention on 4 December 1997, ratified in on 20 May 1998, with the Convention entering into force for Croatia on 1 March 1999. 

Obligations under the Convention

In its initial transparency report submitted on 3 September 1999, Croatia reported stockpiled anti-personnel mines under its ownership or possession.

Notwithstanding the obligation to destroy all stockpiled anti-personnel mines, the Convention permits the retention of the minimum number of anti-personnel mines absolutely necessary for the development of and training in mine detection, mine clearance, or mine destruction techniques.

As of 2020, Croatia has reported having retained 4,851 anti-personnel mines for these permitted purposes. These mines are used during testing and evaluating demining machines and by the Training Company of Engineering Regiment in its regular training and education for deminers.

In its initial transparency report submitted on 3 September 1999, Croatia reported stockpiled anti-personnel mines under its ownership or possession.

In its transparency report submitted on 30 April 2003, Croatia reported that it had completed the destruction of all stockpiled anti-personnel mines. 

In total, Croatia reported having destroyed 199,271 mines.

In its initial transparency report, Croatia reported areas under its jurisdiction or control in which anti-personnel mines were known or suspected to be emplaced. 

In accordance with Article 5 of the Convention, Croatia undertook to destroy or ensure the destruction of all anti-personnel mines in these areas as soon as possible but not later than 1 March 2009. 

On 2 June 2008, Croatia submitted a request to extend its mine clearance deadline. The request was granted at the Ninth Meeting of the States Parties and a new deadline set for 1 March 2019. 

On 29 March 2018, Croatia submitted a second request to extend its mine clearance deadline and on 21 June and 24 August Croatia submitted additional information to the request. The request was granted at the Seventeenth Meeting of the States Parties and a new deadline set for 1 March 2026.

On 13 July 2020, Croatia acted upon the decisions of the Seventeenth Meeting of the States Parties by submitting an updated work plan for the implementation of Article 5 of the Convention.

On 10 May 2022, Croatia, once again acting upon the Decisions of the Seventeenth Meeting of the States Parties submitted an updated work plan.

Article 5 Extension Request Process

Croatian Mine Action Centre

Croatia has indicated having significant numbers – hundreds or thousands – of landmine survivors.

Croatia is also a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Annually and no later than 30 April, each State Party is to update information covering the previous calendar year. The latest Article 7 reports for this State Party can be found on this page. 

Article 9 of the Convention states that “each State Party shall take all appropriate legal, administrative and other measures, including the imposition of penal sanctions, to prevent and suppress any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Convention undertaken by persons or on territory under its jurisdiction or control.”

Croatia has reported having established national implementation measures or that it considers existing legislation to be sufficient. 

Presidency of the 6MSP

Croatia held the Presidency of the Convention in 2005 with Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovicva elected as President of the 6MSP, and Professor Dr. Dijana Pleština, Director, of the Office for Mine Action of Croatia elected Secretary General of the Meeting, and leading the work of the States Parties throughout the Croatian presidency.

This was only the second time a woman presided over the work and Meeting of the States Parties since the Convention began its formal proceedings in 1999.