Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (Croatia)

Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs
Ministarstvo vanjskih i europskih poslova
Official logo
The Ministry building on Zrinjevac
Map
Location of Headquarters
Ministry overview
Formed31 May 1990
TypeMinistry in the Government of Croatia
Jurisdiction Croatia
HeadquartersTrg Nikole Šubića Zrinskog 7, Zagreb, Croatia
Employees1,407 (2025)[1]
Budget193.3 million (2026)[2]
Websitemvep.gov.hr
Minister
CurrentlyGordan Grlić-Radman
since 22 July 2019

The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia (Croatian: Ministarstvo vanjskih i europskih poslova or MVEP) is the ministry in the Government of Croatia which is responsible for the country's foreign relations, its diplomatic missions and relations to international organisations, especially the European Union.

Organization

The Ministry has a total of 1,407 staff (as of 2025), working in the following departments:[1]

Department Croatian language Staff
Cabinet of the Minister Kabinet Ministra 26
General Secretariat Glavno tajništvo 178
Directorate for Europe Uprava za Europu 80
Directorate for Southeastern Europe Uprava za Jugoistočnu Europu 40
Political Affairs Directorate Uprava za političke poslove 73
Directorate for European and International Law Uprava za europsko i međunarodno pravo 50
Directorate for Multilateral and Global Affairs Uprava za multilateralu i globalna pitanja 47
Directorate for Consular Affairs Uprava za konzularne poslove 55
Information Security Directorate Uprava za informacijsku sigurnost 101
Directorate for Economic Affairs and Development Cooperation Uprava za gospodarske poslove i razvojnu suradnju 69
Independent Sector for Foreign and European Policy Samostalni sektor za vanjsku i europsku politiku 21
Independent Sector for Policy Planning Samostalni sektor za planiranje politika 14
Independent Sector for Public and Cultural Diplomacy Samostalni sektor za javnu i kulturnu diplomaciju 22
Diplomatic Academy Diplomatska akademija 27
Diplomatic protocol Diplomatski protokol 19
Inspectorate of the Foreign Service Inspektorat službe vanjskih poslova 5
Independent Internal Audit Service Samostalna služba za unutarnju reviziju 5
Independent Border Service Samostalna služba za granice 5
Independent Service for the Three Seas Initiative Samostalna služba za Inicijativu triju mora 5
Special positions
Chief Legal Advisor Glavni pravni savjetnik 1
Spokesperson Glasnogovornik 1
Advisor to the Minister Savjetnik ministra 13
Diplomatic missions and consular offices
Diplomatic staff Diplomatsko osoblje 352
Administrative and technical staff Administrativno-tehničko osoblje 124
Security personnel Djelatnici sigurnosti 74

Officials

Currently serving officials at the Ministry:[3][4]

  • Nevenka Cujzek, Secretary General of the Ministry (Glavna tajnica Ministarstva)
  • Frano Matušić, State Secretary for Political Affairs (Državni tajnik za političke poslove)
  • Andreja Metelko-Zgombić, State Secretary for Europe (Državna tajnica za Europu)
  • Zdenko Lucić, State Secretary for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation (Državni tajnik za vanjsku trgovinu i razvojnu suradnju)
  • Lara Romano, Secretary of the Minister's Office (Tajnica Kabineta ministra)
  • Terezija Gras, Authorized to perform the duties of Director of the Directorate for Europe (Ovlaštena za obavljanje poslova ravnateljice Uprave za Europu)
  • Irena Alajbeg, Director of the Directorate for Economic Affairs and Development Cooperation (Ravnateljica Uprave za gospodarske poslove i razvojnu suradnju)
  • Gordana Vidović Mesarek, Authorized to perform the duties of Director of the Directorate for European and International Law (Ovlaštena za obavljanje poslova ravnatelja Uprave za europsko i međunarodno pravo)
  • Stribor Kikerec, Authorized to perform the duties of Director of the Directorate for Southeast Europe (Ovlašten za obavljanje poslova ravnatelja Uprave za jugoistočnu Europu)
  • Tomislav Lendić, Authorized to perform the duties of Director of the Political Affairs Directorate (Ovlašten za obavljanje poslova ravnatelja Uprave za političke poslove)
  • Sebastian Rogač, Director of the Directorate for Multilateral and Global Affairs (Ravnatelj Uprave za multilateralu i globalna pitanja)
  • Vinko Ljubičić, Authorized to perform the duties of Director of the Directorate for Consular Affairs (Ovlašten za obavljanje poslova ravnatelja Uprave za konzularne poslove)
  • Goran Štefanić, Authorized to perform the duties of the Director of the Information Security Directorate (Ovlašten za obavljanje poslova ravnatelja Uprave za informacijsku sigurnost)
  • Antun Buklijaš, Head of the Sector for Policy Planning (Načelnik Sektora za planiranje politika)
  • Katja Šare, Head of the Sector for Public and Cultural Diplomacy, Information and Public Relations (Načelnica Sektora za javnu i kulturnu diplomaciju, informiranje i odnose s javnošću)
  • Ivan Marić, Spokesperson (Glasnogovornik)
  • Karlo Kolesar, Head of the Diplomatic Academy (Načelnik Diplomatske akademije)
  • Mirta Jelenc Župan, Head of Diplomatic protocol (Načelnica Diplomatskog protokola)
  • Petra Juras Krmek, Inspector General of the Foreign Service (Glavni inspektor Službe vanjskih poslova)
  • Sanja Gluhak, Head of the Internal Audit Service (Voditeljica Službe za unutarnju reviziju)
  • Mario Martinec, Head of the Three Seas Initiative Service (Voditelj Službe za Inicijativu triju mora)
  • Zoran Bradić, Head of the Border Service (Voditelj Službe za granice)

List of ministers

Foreign affairs ministers

The 15th and current minister is Gordan Grlić-Radman, in office since 22 July 2019. The longest serving minister was Mate Granić (1993–2000), under Prime Ministers Nikica Valentić and Zlatko Mateša, and the shortest serving was Davorin Rudolf who held the post for three months between May 1991 to July 1991 under Prime Minister Josip Manolić.

Political parties:

  Croatian Democratic Union (13)
  Social Democratic Party (1)
  Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats (1)

No. Portrait Minister of Foreign Affairs Took office Left office Time in office Party Cabinet
1
Zdravko Mršić [hr]
Mršić, ZdravkoZdravko Mršić [hr]
(born 1936)
31 May 19908 November 1990161 daysHDZMesić
Manolić
2
Frane Vinko Golem
Golem, Frane VinkoFrane Vinko Golem
(1938–2007)
8 November 19903 May 1991176 daysHDZManolić
3
Davorin Rudolf [hr]
Rudolf, DavorinDavorin Rudolf [hr]
(born 1934)
3 May 199131 July 199189 daysHDZManolić
Gregurić
4
Zvonimir Šeparović
Šeparović, ZvonimirZvonimir Šeparović
(1928–2022)
31 July 199127 May 1992301 daysHDZGregurić
5
Zdenko Škrabalo
Škrabalo, ZdenkoZdenko Škrabalo
(1929–2014)
9 June 199228 May 1993353 daysHDZGregurić
Šarinić
Valentić
6
Mate Granić*
Granić, MateMate Granić*
(born 1947)
28 May 199327 January 20006 years, 244 daysHDZValentić
Mateša
7
Tonino Picula
Picula, ToninoTonino Picula
(born 1961)
27 January 200022 December 20033 years, 329 daysSDPRačan III
8
Miomir Žužul
Žužul, MiomirMiomir Žužul
(born 1955)
23 December 200317 February 20051 year, 56 daysHDZSanader I
9
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović
Grabar-Kitarović, KolindaKolinda Grabar-Kitarović
(born 1968)
17 February 200512 January 20082 years, 329 daysHDZSanader I
10
Gordan Jandroković*
Jandroković, GordanGordan Jandroković*
(born 1967)
13 January 200823 December 20113 years, 344 daysHDZSanader II
Kosor
11
Vesna Pusić*[d]
Pusić, VesnaVesna Pusić*[d]
(born 1953)
23 December 201122 January 20164 years, 30 daysHNS-LDMilanović
12
Miro Kovač
Kovač, MiroMiro Kovač
(born 1968)
22 January 201619 October 2016271 daysHDZOrešković
13
Davor Ivo Stier*
Stier, Davor IvoDavor Ivo Stier*
(born 1972)
19 October 201619 June 2017243 daysHDZPlenković I
14
Marija Pejčinović Burić*
Pejčinović Burić, MarijaMarija Pejčinović Burić*
(born 1963)
19 June 201722 July 20192 years, 33 daysHDZPlenković I
15
Gordan Grlić-Radman
Grlić-Radman, GordanGordan Grlić-Radman
(born 1958)
22 July 2019Incumbent6 years, 228 daysHDZPlenković III-III
Source: MVPEI.hr (in Croatian)

(*) Ministers of Foreign Affairs who held the post of Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia while in office.

European integration ministers

The Ministry for European Integration was a short-lived ministry which was established during Prime Minister Ivica Račan in 2000. It grew out of the Government Office for European Integration and was later merged with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 2005 under Prime Minister Ivo Sanader. The ministry was charged with overseeing the changes to the legislation needed to comply with the community acquis in preparation and during the Accession of Croatia to the European Union.

Political parties:

  Croatian Democratic Union (2)
  Social Democratic Party (1)
  Istrian Democratic Assembly (1)

No. Portrait Minister for European Integration Took office Left office Time in office Party Cabinet
1
Ljerka Mintas-Hodak*[a]
Mintas-Hodak, LjerkaLjerka Mintas-Hodak*[a]
(born 1952)
3 April 199827 January 20001 year, 299 daysHDZMateša
2
Ivan Jakovčić[b]
Jakovčić, IvanIvan Jakovčić[b]
(born 1957)
27 January 200021 June 20011 year, 145 daysIDSRačan I
3
Neven Mimica
Mimica, NevenNeven Mimica
(born 1953)
28 September 200123 December 20032 years, 86 daysSDPRačan III
4
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović[c]
Grabar-Kitarović, KolindaKolinda Grabar-Kitarović[c]
(born 1968)
23 December 200316 February 20051 year, 55 daysHDZSanader I

(*) Ministers for European Integration who held the post of Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia while in office.

Notes

a. ^ Unofficial minister. Mintas-Hodak was head of the Government Office for European Integration (Croatian: Ured za europske integracije) established in 1998.
b. ^ Jakovčić was appointed first head of the newly formed Ministry for European Integration in 2000 in the Cabinet of Ivica Račan I. The ministry was created out of the former Government Office for European Integration.
c. ^ Grabar-Kitarović was appointed European integration minister in 2003 in the Cabinet of Ivo Sanader I. On 16 February 2005 the Ministry for European Integration was merged with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Grabar-Kitarović took over as head of the merged ministry.
d. ^ Pusić was appointed to the post of Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, as the ministry was renamed in 2011 in the Cabinet of Zoran Milanović.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Uredba o unutarnjem ustrojstvu Ministarstva vanjskih i europskih poslova" (in Croatian). Narodne Novine. 20 January 2025. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  2. ^ "Državni proračun Republike Hrvatske za 2026. godinu i projekcije za 2027. i 2028. godinu" [State Budget of the Republic of Croatia for 2026 and projections for 2027 and 2028]. Narodne Novine. 16 December 2025. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  3. ^ "Ministar" [Minister]. Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (in Croatian). Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  4. ^ "O ministarstvu" [About the Ministry]. Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (in Croatian). Retrieved 2 February 2026.

45°48′36″N 15°58′45″E / 45.81000°N 15.97917°E / 45.81000; 15.97917