Za verziju na hrvatskom jeziku, kliknite ovdje.
On 24 July 2023, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia delivered a diplomatic note to the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia.
In these communications, Croatia informed the Serbian side of “certain measures” being undertaken in the area of Gornja Siga, to “protect the borders of the Republic of Croatia” and, by extension, the external borders of the Schengen Area.
Although the precise nature of these measures was left unspecified, a plain reading suggests that they likely involve the deployment of border police to patrol and monitor the area to prevent illegal migration. This goal was explicitly mentioned, with particular reference to Gornja Siga’s proximity to known migration routes used for people smuggling.
The Liberland community fully acknowledges and supports Croatia’s legitimate efforts to prevent illegal migration, human trafficking, and transnational smuggling activities. These are concerns of utmost importance not only to Croatia, but also to the broader European community and our own community. We all benefit from regional stability and security.
The Liberland community shares a strong commitment to the rule of law and to the principles of peaceful coexistence with our neighbors. To that end, we are prepared to support Croatia’s border security efforts in the following ways:
- Information sharing on movement in the Gornja Siga area, including identification of individuals intending to visit, and their compliance with legal norms.
- Voluntary coordination of visitor activity, through registration systems and designated visitation schedules, to ensure full transparency and order.
- Joint monitoring or observation arrangements
We believe that the orderly and peaceful visitation of the Gornja Siga territory is in the best interest of both Croatia and the Liberland community, regardless of any future outcome of the larger border dispute.
We are keen to understand Croatia’s underlying concerns, with the aim of aligning our policies more closely and ensuring a framework that reflects Liberland’s commitment to openness and peaceful and friendly relations.
Unfortunately, misunderstandings have resulted in the banning of certain EU citizens from Croatia, as well as the issuance of 90-day entry bans to third-country nationals who sought only to legally visit the area, including U.S., UK and Australian citizens. We must point out that these individuals have not violated any Croatian or European Union law.
We respectfully note that under Article 6 and Article 21 of Regulation (EU) 2016/399, known as the Schengen Borders Code, third-country nationals who are legally present in the Schengen Area are entitled to move freely within the territory for up to 90 days within any 180-day period, provided they meet the entry conditions. Expulsion with no legal basis raises concerns regarding the application of these principles and this targeted differential treatment of non-EU citizens contradicts principles of equality before the law.
In the spirit of good neighborly relations and European cooperation, we therefore propose the establishment of a direct communication channel between our respective authorities in which we share as much information as possible.
We ask you to let us demonstrate that the Liberland community does not seek to undermine Croatian interests in any way; we want to bring investment, jobs and tourism to the region.
We are prepared to participate in a bilateral meeting aimed at developing a mutually acceptable framework for border regime management in the Gornja Siga area. We believe such cooperation will help prevent misunderstandings and reinforce our shared goals of regional stability and lawful conduct. We are confident that such a solution would meet Croatia’s border control and security needs.