Croatia: Update to HRV38202.E of 18 December 2001 on the steps/process required to regularize oneself regarding military service obligations if called up while outside Croatia and penalties in the case of non compliance
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 16 January 2002 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | HRV38178.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Croatia: Update to HRV38202.E of 18 December 2001 on the steps/process required to regularize oneself regarding military service obligations if called up while outside Croatia and penalties in the case of non compliance, 16 January 2002, HRV38178.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be3b18.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The following information was provided by the Consular Section of the Embassy of Croatia in Ottawa during a 9 January 2002 telephone conversation.
A Croatian citizen who was called up for military service after his departure from Croatia and who has been notified that his situation is irregular with respect to military service, must regularize his situation at the Croatian Embassy or a Croatian consulate in Canada where he will be requested to show his Croatian passport, submit in writing a request to the Ministry of Defence for deferral or postponement of his military service obligations, fill in a short application form with his name and address in Croatia where the call-up notice was mailed, and submit proof of residence in Canada. Upon receiving the application from the Croatian Embassy or Consulate, the Ministry of Defence in Croatia will issue a certificate to confirm postponement of military service. However, military service in Croatia cannot be postponed beyond age 27. As the conscript approaches his 27th year, he must apply for full exemption for military service if he has become a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant or regularize his situation through the performance of his military service. A Croatian citizen who returns to Croatia without having regularized his situation with respect to military service will likely be prosecuted by the Croatian authorities.
The Consular Section of the Embassy of Croatia in Ottawa could not say whether a Croatian citizen can apply for alternative service at the Embassy but suggested that he should first regularize his situation in accordance with the procedure described above. Upon receiving his military service postponement certificate, it would be possible for him to travel to Croatia for a visit and apply for alternative service in Croatia.
An assistant to the Military attaché at the Embassy of Croatia in Washington, DC stated in a 9 January 2002 telephone interview that a Croatian citizen who was called up for military service after his departure from Croatia and who was notified by the Ministry of Defence must regularize his situation at a Croatian embassy or consulate. According to the assistant, this is the standard procedure. The assistant could not provide information on the procedure to apply for alternative service from abroad since the Office of the Military Attaché at the Embassy of Croatia in Washington, DC is only concerned with regular army issues.
No additional and corroborative information from independent sources on the steps/process required to regularize oneself regarding military service obligations, if called up abroad, and penalties in the case of non compliance could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Embassy of Croatia, Consular Section, Ottawa. 9 January 2002. Telephone interview.
______. Office of the Military Attaché, Washington DC. 9 January 2002. Telephone interview with assistant.
Additional Sources Consulted
A response to a request for information from Antiwar Campaign Croatia (AKR) was not received by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
