We ask that all Liberland diplomats, representatives, citizens and supporters send a letter of protest to the Croatian Embassy in their country. Earn Liberland merits (LLM) while making a difference for Liberland!
Call to action: Write the Croatian Embassy in support of Liberland and earn Liberland merits (LLM)
Since 6 August 2023 we have had access to the territory of Liberland and have maintained a presence on the land itself. Since that time, Liberland settlers have faced numerous challenges in establishing a robust settlement. The biggest challenge comes from the actions of Croatian Border Police under Croatia's Ministry of the Interior and Hrvatske Šume, the state-owned forest authority corporation under Croatia’s Ministry of Agriculture.
While Croatia has the rightful authority to control its external border with Liberland, its treatment of visitors and settlers has been heavy-handed in an attempt to discourage the Liberland community. Hrvatske Šume, accompanied by the police, has destroyed structures built by the community and seized vehicles, bicycles, equipment, supplies, and personal belongings.
Naturally, we’ve filed actions against Hrvatske Šume in Croatian courts; however the prosecutor and the court in Osijek-Baranja county declared that they have no legal competence in an area outside of Croatia’s jurisdiction. While we have won several petty cases brought against members of our community by police and inspectors precisely because of their lack of legal jurisdiction, the harassment still continues. Apparently the Croatian authorities can get away with what they are doing because it is not Croatia.
In addition to the attacks on the settlements, Croatian Border Police and local police have been constantly harassing visitors to the area and treating them as if they are guilty of something. Non-EU and non-Schengen citizens get banned from Croatia simply for wanting to visit Liberland. Officers have also begun imposing overly strict technical inspections of vehicles driven by members of the Liberland community. This is clearly targeted and discriminatory harassment. Perhaps this is because they believe – quite incorrectly – that Liberland might undermine Croatia's position in the larger border dispute.
Croatia has chosen to create a very hostile environment here for travellers and tourists, particularly for those visitors from outside the EU or Schengen Area. With your help, we can change that.
In fact, the Liberland community can bring jobs and investment to an area of Croatia that has seen a mass exodus of people over the past few decades. After all, Liberland has a truly unique selling point—it can bring something to the region that Croatia cannot. This is tremendous opportunity and we hope our Croatian friends will realize this sooner or later - and we hope they will work together with us.
It will help Liberland greatly if we all take action right now.
Instructions
We ask that all Liberland diplomats, representatives, citizens and supporters send a letter of protest to the Croatian Embassy in their country. In some cases, one Croatian Embassy serves several countries.
You can find the address of your Croatian Embassy on this web page:
Add the address of the Embassy and the name of the current Ambassador if known. Add your name and contact information and print it out and send it via post. While actual printed mail is more effective, you can also email them.
Please notify and/or CC: foreign at liberland.org so you can get credited with Liberland merits (LLM). Let us know if you receive a response from the Croatian Embassy. You must be registered on liberland.org to receive the Merits. Currently we are awarding 50 Liberland merits (LLM 50) for the first letter and LLM 25 for each additional letter (up to a maximum of 10 letters) to other embassies, consulates and other diplomatic missions (Permanent Representative of Croatia to the U.N., Permanent Representative of Croatia to the E.U., the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, et cetera).
Use your own words (be firm but polite) or use one of these sample letters below. Sample letters in Spanish are also below. Thank you!
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Free Republic of Liberland
Sample Letter 1:
Embassy of the Republic of Croatia
Your Excellency:
I am writing to you to inquire about Croatia’s treatment of persons visiting and living in Gornja Siga, the territory located outside of Croatia on the right bank of the Danube River.
There are news reports that Croatian police and employees of Hrvatske Šume d.o.o. (Croatian Forests) have demolished the homes and taken the property of the community in Gornja Siga, also known as Liberland. Croatian courts have stated that this area, Gornja Siga, lies outside of their jurisdiction and that they are unable to take action against this activity.
The harsh treatment of these people makes Croatia seem like an unfriendly place for visitors. Many visitors to the area – especially non-EU or non-EEA citizens who enter Croatia legally – are being harassed, arrested or banned from Croatia and get a travel alert attached to their personal documents, thereby complicating their travel to other countries. The police also take the plates of visitors' cars and force the owners to undergo overly strict technical inspections. These people commit no crime other than wishing to visit the area.
Scaring away tourists, mistreating people in Gornja Siga, taking their property, and depriving them of their right to travel does not lend a favourable image to Croatia from the outside. Regardless of the outcome of the larger border dispute, this is a community that deserves fair and just treatment.
I urge you to find peaceful solutions to this matter. I hope that Croatia will take seriously its international obligations with regards to human rights as a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), as well as its obligations as a Member State of the European Union to uphold the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
The Liberland community of Gornja Siga has considerable money to spend in the local economy in Osijek-Baranja County and this will only grow as more interested people come to visit. If you encourage rather than demoralize this community, it can become the biggest opportunity that Croatia has to bring investment, jobs and tourism to an economically stagnant region. With your cooperation, these opportunities can be developed together.
Your Excellency, I would appreciate your point of view on this matter and that you intend to relay my concerns to your government in Zagreb. Thank you for your attention and consideration.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
Sample Letter 2:
Embassy of the Republic of Croatia
Your Excellency:
Since 6 August 2023, we have had access to our territory of Gornja Siga (also known as Liberland) and have since maintained a permanent presence there with settlers and visitors.
Our settlers have successfully overcome many challenges. Despite adverse conditions such as the harsh winter, Danube flooding, mosquitoes, and the difficult transport of building materials and supplies, we have managed to establish the first buildings in the area of Liberland.
The greatest difficulties we face involve reaching a lawful consensus with local authorities, particularly the border police and the organization "Hrvatske Šume" (the state forestry authority of the Ministry of Agriculture). Croatia has the legitimate authority to protect and control its external borders with Liberland. We respect and appreciate this, but we must unfortunately point out that punitive actions taken are often disproportionate and not always compliant with Schengen regulations.
Our settlers and visitors, especially from non-Schengen/non-EU countries, are frequently harassed and even declared "persona non grata" within Croatian territory, despite holding valid Schengen visas. This treatment stems from the assumption that our foreign guests have criminal intentions by visiting Liberland. We view this as a blatant violation of EU/Schengen law, as they possess a proper visa or status.
Liberlanders, visitors and foreign tourists from the EU are continuously harassed at official border crossings from Serbia to Croatia or when attempting to access the territory in Liberland. Vehicles are subjected to overly stringent technical inspections, and even minor deficiencies result in unreasonable penalties.
Another serious issue arises with the state forestry organization "Hrvatske Šume." Since September 2023, employees have unlawfully destroyed buildings erected by settlers in Gornja Siga and stolen building materials, electronic hardware, Starlink antennae, vehicles, bicycles, food, supplies and personal property. These criminal acts were assisted by local border police.
This behaviour repeated itself during the construction of a medical clinic on our territory, supported by the international organization "Flame of Peace" under the family of Sandor and Margarete von Habsburg as the first permanent structure in Liberland. Heavy machinery destroyed the foundation. In total, materials worth over 100 000 euros were stolen under the oversight of the Croatian police.
For these unlawful criminal attacks, there were neither written orders nor commands from the Croatian public prosecutor's office. It is suspected that the forestry authority uses Gornja Siga as a hunting ground for domestic and foreign hunters for foreign currency, which has repeatedly been cited as a reason for local police preventing our settlers or visitors from entering our territory under the pretext of "security reasons."
We have filed cases against "Hrvatske Šume" in Croatian courts. However, these were dismissed by the public prosecutor and the court in the Osijek-Baranja County, citing that the area of "Gornja Siga" (Liberland) lies outside Croatian jurisdiction. That would indicate Hrvatske Šume has no business being there, since their mandate covers the forests of Croatia and not others.
We seek to establish good neighbourly relations with Croatia and Osijek-Baranja County. Our goal is to promote this region and strengthen it economically and touristically through investments. We thank the border authorities for protecting the area and we accept Croatian laws within the framework of EU accession and the Schengen Zone.
We hope that this hostile environment for our settlers, visitors, and tourists will be eliminated, fostering a coexistence based on mutual trust and in accordance with Schengen regulations.
With your help and support, we can achieve this.
Respectfully,
[Your Name]
Sample Letter 3:
Embassy of the Republic of Croatia
Dear Ambassador:
I am writing to you to express my views regarding a community just outside of Croatia called Gornja Siga, also known as Liberland. I am interested in visiting the area as well as other parts of Croatia; however I’m concerned about reports that Croatian police have orders to treat people who come there in a very unfriendly and unjust manner.
It appears there is an ongoing campaign of discrimination by Croatian police against people who want to visit the area and go hiking or biking. For example, there are reports that those who visit the Osijek-Baranja region are getting banned from Croatia for 90 days if they are legally in Croatia, but not a citizen of the EU or a Schengen Zone country. Is this true and if so, why is this happening?
Surely it is not in Croatia’s interests to treat tourists like this. This seems to be a violation of the common visa policy and contradicts the rules that apply to Schengen Zone member countries. Unfortunately, the threat of such treatment makes me reluctant to want to travel to Croatia.
I think it would be beneficial to all if this issue could be clarified and that equitable and peaceful solutions can be found.
I hope this letter finds you in good health and I assure you of my kindest regards.
Sincerely Yours,
[Your Name]
En español:
Carta de muestra 1
A la Embajada de la República de Croacia
Su excelencia:
Me dirijo a usted para preguntarle sobre el trato de Croacia para con las personas que visitan y viven en Gornja Siga, el territorio ocupado fuera de Croacia en la margen derecha del Río Danubio.
Hay reportes de que la policía croata y empleados de Hrvatske Šume d.o.o. (Bosques de Croacia) han demolido los hogares y han tomado las pertenencias de la comunidad en Gornja Siga, también conocida como Liberland. Juzgados croatas han declarado que este área, Gornja Siga, yace fuera de la propia jurisdicción de estos mismos cortes y que no tienen la posibilidad de tomar acción contra esta actividad.
El duro tratamiento para con estas personas hace ver a Croacia como un lugar poco amigable para los visitantes. Muchos visitantes al área, especialmente ciudadanos no pertenecientes a la Unión Europea que entran a Croacia en forma legal, están siendo acosados, arrestados, o se les ha prohibido el ingreso a Croacia y se les adjunta una alerta de viaje a sus documentos personales. Estas personas no cometen ningún crimen más allá de desear visitar el área.
Ahuyentar a los turistas, maltratar a las personas en Gornja Siga, tomar sus pertenencias, y privarlos de su derecho a viaje no brinda una imagen favorable a Croacia desde el exterior. Más allá del desenlace de la disputa fronteriza en general, esta es una comunidad que merece tratamiento justo y equitativo.
Le insto a encontrar soluciones pacíficas a esta cuestión. Espero que Croacia tome seriamente sus obligaciones internacionales para con los derechos humanos como Estado Miembro del Pacto Internacional de Derechos Civiles y Políticos así como sus obligaciones como estado miembro de la Unión Europea para sostener la Carta de los Derechos Fundamentales.
La comunidad de Liberland de Gornja Siga cuenta con un capital considerable para insumir en la economía local en el Condado de Osijek-Baranja y este sólo crecerá en cuanto más personas interesadas vengan a visitar. Si alientan en vez de desmoralizar esta comunidad, puede convertirse en la mayor oportunidad que Croacia tiene para traer inversiones, trabajos, y turismo a una región económicamente estanca. Con su cooperación, estas oportunidades pueden ser desarrolladas en forma conjunta.
Su excelencia, apreciaría su punto de vista en este asunto y que desee exponer mis preocupaciones a su gobierno en Zagreb. Gracias por su atención y consideración.
Sinceramente,
[SU FIRMA]
Carta de muestra 2
A la Embajada de la República de Croacia
Su excelencia:
Desde el 6 de agosto de 2023, hemos tenido acceso a nuestro territorio de Gornja Siga (también conocido como Liberland) y hemos desde entonces mantenido una presencia permanente allí con colonos y visitantes.
Nuestros colonos han sobrellevado exitosamente muchos desafíos. A pesar de condiciones adversas como el duro invierno, inundaciones del Danubio, mosquitos, y el difícil transporte de materiales e insumos para construcción, hemos logrado establecer los primeros edificios en el área de Liberland.
Las mayores dificultades que tenemos por delante involucran llegar a un consenso legal con los oficiales de las autoridades locales, particularmente la policía fronteriza y la organización "Hrvatske Šume" (la autoridad forestal estatal del Ministerio de Agricultura). Croacia tiene la autoridad legítima para proteger y controlar sus fronteras externas con Liberland. Respetamos y apreciamos esto, pero debemos desafortunadamente señalar que los controles fronterizos son frecuentemente desproporcionados y no siempre cumplen con las regulaciones Schengen.
Nuestros colonos y visitantes, especialmente de países no-Schengen/no-UE, son frecuentemente acosados y hasta declarados "persona non grata" dentro del territorio croata, a pesar de ser tenedores de visas Schengen válidas. Este tratamiento surge de la asunción de que nuestros huéspedes extranjeros tienen intenciones criminales al visitar Liberland o asistiendo la construcción de edificios. Vemos esto como una violación estridente de leyes UE/Schengen, ya que poseen una visa o status correcto.
Liberlanders, visitantes y turistas extranjeros de la UE son continuamente acosados en los cruces fronterizos de Serbia a Croacia o cuando intentan acceder al territorio en Liberland. Vehículos son sujetos a inspecciones técnicas excesivamente demandantes, y aún deficiencias menores resultan en penalidades excesivas. Estos controles irrazonables ocurren tanto en rutas por tierra como por agua (el Danubio).
Otro asunto serio surge de la organización forestal "Hrvatske Šume". Desde septiembre 2023, sus empleados han ilegalmente destruido edificios erigidos por colonos en Gornja Siga y robado materiales de construcción, equipamiento electrónico, antenas, vehículos, bicicletas, alimentos, insumos, y propiedad personal. Estos actos criminales fueron asistidos por autoridades fronterizas locales.
Este comportamiento se ha repetido durante la construcción de una clínica en nuestro territorio, apoyada por al organización internacional "Flame of Peace" bajo la familia de Sandor y Margarete von Habsburg como la primera estructura permanente en Liberland. Los cimientos fueron destruidos por maquinaria pesada. En total, materiales valuados en más de 100 000 euros fueron robados bajo la protección de las autoridades fronterizas locales.
Para estos ataques criminales ilegales, no han habido ni órdenes escritas ni comandos de la oficina de la fiscalía pública croata. Se sospecha que la autoridad forestal usa a Gornja Siga como un coto de caza para cazadores domésticos y extranjeros por moneda extranjera, lo cual ha sido citado frecuentemente como una razón para que la policía fronteriza local prevenga a nuestros colonos de entrar a nuestro territorio por el pretexto de "razones de seguridad".
Hemos presentado demandas contra "Hrvatske Šume" en los tribunales croatas. Sin embargo, estos fueron desestimados por la fiscalía pública y el juzgado en el Condado de Osijek-Baranja, citando que el área de "Gornja Siga" (Liberland) yace fuera de la jurisdicción croata. ESto indicaría que Hrvatske Šume no tiene por qué estar allí, ya que su mandato cubre los bosques de Croacia y no otros,
Buscamos establecer buenas negociaciones de vecinos con Croacia y el Condado de Osijek-Baranja. Nuestro objetivo es promover esta región y fortalecerla económica y turísticamente con inversiones. Agradecemos a las autoridades fronterizas por proteger el área y aceptamos las leyes croatas dentro del marco de adhesión a la UE y a la Zona Schengen.
Esperamos que este entorno hostil para con nuestros colonos, visitantes, y turistas sea eliminado, promoviendo una coexistencia basada en confianza mutua y de acuerdo a las regulaciones Schengen.
Con su ayuda y apoyo, podemos lograrlo.
Respetuosamente,
[SU FIRMA]
Carta de muestra 3
A la Embajada de la República de Croacia
Estimado/a Embajador/a:
Le escribo para expresar mis vistas respecto a una comunidad justo fuera de Croacia llamada Gornja Siga, también conocida como Liberland. Tengo interés en visitar el área así como Croacia, pero tengo preocupaciones respecto a reportes de que la policía croata tenga órdenes de tratar a las personas que vengan allí en una forma hostil e injusta.
Parece que hay una campaña constante de discriminación por parte de la policía croata contra personas que deseen visitar el área para pasear en pie o en bicicleta. Por ejemplo, hay reportes de que quienes visiten el condado de Osijek-Baranja reciben prohibiciones de entrada a Croacia por 90 días si están legalmente en Croacia pero no son ciudadanos de la UE o un país de la zona Schengen. ¿Es esto cierto, y de ser así, por qué sucede?
Seguramente no está en los mejores intereses de Croacia tratar así a turistas. Esto parece ser una violación de la política de visado común y contradice las reglas que aplican a los países miembros de la Zona Schengen. Desafortunadamente, la amenaza de tal tratamiento me hace renuente a desear viajar a Croacia.
Creo que sería beneficioso para todos si este asunto pudiera ser clarificado y que se encuentren soluciones equitativas y pacíficas. Espero que esta carta le encuentre de buena salud y le aseguro mis más cordiales saludos.
Sinceramente,
[SU FIRMA]