Croatian Political Emigration in France as a Challenge to French-Yugoslav Relations (1980–1986)

Abstract

Based on a systematic analysis of archival materials from the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in La Courneuve and Nantes, as well as the most relevant scholarly literature, this article examines the responses of French authorities and diplomacy to the activities of Croatian political émigrés, particularly the Croatian National Council (Hrvatsko narodno vijeće, HNV) in France, between 1980 and 1986. A key focus of the discussion is the extent to which the French authorities perceived these activities as a security threat, and the impact this had on Franco-Yugoslav diplomatic relations. The findings reveal that the Yugoslav authorities persistently warned of the dangers posed by Croatian émigré groups and repeatedly demanded their prohibition. However, French diplomacy responded to these pressures with restraint, invoking the principle of freedom of association and only restricting it when activities were deemed to endanger public order or bilateral relations with Yugoslavia. Despite occasional tensions, diplomatic dispatches suggest that French attention gradually declined after 1984. While Yugoslav representatives continued to emphasise the threat of so-called ‘Ustaša terrorism’, French diplomats often regarded such claims as exaggerated and tailored to the domestic political needs of the Yugoslav regime. The HNV was generally considered to be an organisation with limited influence on French public opinion and marginal political significance. This article demonstrates that French diplomacy maintained a characteristic dual approach when dealing with Croatian political émigrés: formally adhering to the principles of freedom of expression and association, while simultaneously applying selective security measures. By doing so, French diplomacy sought to balance the preservation of stable bilateral relations with Yugoslavia and upholding its own democratic principles.