Liberland Visits Washington; Calls for End to Croatian Harassment

https://liberland.org/en/news/liberland-stop-us-aid-to-croatia-for-banning-americans
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
As the Liberland delegation make their case for sovereignty to US legislators, they also highlight the difficulties they’ve been having with Croatian authorities. “The United States has given nearly a billion dollars in military aid to Croatia, and over $140 million this year alone just for the Croatian military,” said Foreign Minister Thomas Walls. “It is my position that the US should suspend aid to Croatia until they stop harassing Americans.”

The Liberland delegation went to Washington, DC this week to attend the gala of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), one of the most influential groups in US politics. At the “50 Years, 50 States” gala dinner held at the National Portrait Gallery, President Vít Jedlička, Vice President Bogie Wozniak, Government Affairs Liaison Kathleen Alcorn, Finance Minister Navid Saberin and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thomas Walls met with former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich as well as current US Senators, Congresspersons and Governors and state legislators.

On the day after the gala event, President Jedlička presented the Order of Merit 1st Class to ALEC CEO Lisa Nelson for inviting us to be part of the ALEC gala as well as several past events.

“Croatia receives hundreds of millions of American taxpayer dollars. It makes absolutely no sense that they single out US citizens and ban them from Croatia and the E.U. just for wanting to visit Liberland.”

As the Liberland delegation make their case for sovereignty to US legislators, they also highlight the difficulties they’ve been having with Croatian authorities. “The United States has given nearly a billion dollars in military aid to Croatia, and over $140 million this year alone just for the Croatian military,” said Foreign Minister Thomas Walls. “Croatia also receives hundreds of millions of American taxpayer dollars through USAID. It makes absolutely no sense that they’re singling out U.S. citizens and banning them from Croatia – and in some cases from the European Union – just for wanting to visit Liberland.”

“It is my position that the US should suspend aid to Croatia until they stop harassing Americans.” said Walls. “Fellow NATO countries should not treat each others’ citizens like this. We know of UK, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens who got similar treatment from the cops. Whoever is ordering the police to harass these people is doing a great job of making Croatia seem like a very unfriendly place for visitors.”

US Chargé d’Affaires to the Republic of Croatia Mark Fleming talks about US aid to Croatia here.

On 25th August 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a Travel Advisory warning all non-Schengen citizens, non-EU citizens and Serbian nationals against travelling to Croatia due to increased scrutiny and harassment by Croatian police. Travelers from outside the EU or Schengen Zone are asked to reconsider travel to Croatia due to arbitrary enforcement of laws, including in relation to bans from Croatia and the EU/EEA, and risk of wrongful detention.

The Liberland delegation received invitations to address the legislatures of several US states to present the case for Liberland. It should be noted that in many cases, the path to recognition of the independence of the former Soviet Republics by the United States started with initiatives undertaken by US state legislatures, after which the US established formal diplomatic relations with each of these new countries.

In addition to visiting US Senate offices including the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, the Liberland delegation is paying visits to several offices of members of the House of Representatives.