The Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, has condemned the expulsion of Croatian citizens from Serbia, calling it an “unacceptable practice.” Speaking at a government meeting on April 10, Plenković denied insinuations that the individuals were involved in internal Serbian affairs, asserting that such claims are baseless.
Plenković announced that Croatia is demanding clarification from Serbian authorities and revealed that the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formally protested the expulsions by sending a diplomatic note to Belgrade.
The Croatian Prime Minister also informed that Croatia’s EU partners have been briefed on the situation.
In recent days, Croatia’s Ambassador to Serbia, Hidajet Bishčević, confirmed that in the past three days, he had received reports regarding the expulsion of three Croatian citizens, including the head of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, from Serbia.
These expulsions are part of a wider series of removals of Croatian nationals from Serbia. In January 2025, several participants of a workshop organized by the Erste Foundation in Belgrade were also expelled under claims of posing a security threat.
Meanwhile, Serbian leadership has accused Croatia of attempting to undermine the Serbian government through its intelligence services and student protests. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, in December 2024, claimed that Croatia’s intelligence agency is involved in non-governmental sectors in Serbia, alleging support from Western intelligence agencies, including those from Europe and the United States, though no evidence has been provided for these claims.
