Foreign Minister Meets Croatian Community in Chile

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić has visited members of Chile’s Croatian community on the first day of her 3-day visit to Chile…

Croatia’s FM with the Croatian community in Chile on Monday

Pusić, who is in Chile to also attend the inauguration of President Michelle Bachelet, discussed ways Croatia could intensify relations with the South American nation in Santiago de Chile on Monday.

Pusić will meet with Bachelet, her predecessor Sebastian Pinero, Foreign Minister Heraldo Munoz, Brazilian Foreign Minister Luiz Alberto Figueiredo Machado, and more representatives of the Croatian community during her visit to Chile.

The inauguration will be attended by, among others, the presidents of Argentina, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, deputy prime ministers of Portugal, Great Britain, Spain, the European Commission and foreign ministers of Italy, France, Panama, New Zealand and Switzerland.

Croatia and Chile have signed a memorandum of strategic partnership. Both countries consider they are each other’s strategic partner for the development of relations in their regions. As a member of the EU, Croatia supports the advancement of relations with Chile and the realisation of the Association Agreement the EU and Chile signed in 2002.

It is estimated that Chile has a Croatian population of 200,000, which is about 1.3% of the total population, and they are the third, fourth or fifth generation descendants of Croatian emigrants. They mainly live in Santiago, Punta Arenas and Antofagasta. The majority have university degrees and are viewed as an eminent expatriate community with representatives in the executive, legislative and judicial authorities, as well as in culture, the arts, enterprise, and the Church. (MVEP)