Meeting with Croatian-Irish Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group of the Croatian Sabor (Parliament)

On 2 July Ambassador Harrington met with the Croatian-Irish Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group of the Croatian Sabor (Parliament). Chaired by Mr Domagoi Hajduković, MP. Ambassador Harrington exchanged views with the Group on the state of Croatian-Irish relations and discussed opportunities for further co-operation.

In his remarks Ambassador Harrington spoke of the experience of Ireland since 1973 when it joined what was to become the European Union. He told the Group that membership brought great opportunities and many positive developments for Ireland. Ambassador Harrington drew a parallel between Ireland's experience of the EU and the opportunities that Croatia now had as a member of the Union since July of 2013.

Ambassador Harrington also briefed the Friendship Group on the state of play of the Northern Ireland Peace Process. The  Group was interested in Ireland's experience of dealing with the legacies of the past and Ireland's work in the area of post-conflict reconciliation.

The Group also noted the growing personal connections between Ireland and Croatia. There is a growing Croatian Diaspora in Ireland.

At the same session of the friendship group, some members of the Irish community in Croatia presented a proposal to recognise the contribution of Laval Nugent (an Irish born solider who fought in the Army of Austria and freed Dalmatia from French control during the Napoleoic Wars) to the development of Croatia.