Serbian minority in Croatia: Development of the Legal Status During the Integration to the European Union, 2000-2011

This bachelor thesis concerns with the development of the legal status of the Serbian minority in Croatia during the period of the integration of Croatia to the European union in years 2000- 2011. This thesis uses the historical approach to research the attitude of Croatian governments towards Serbs. The research of this attitude is based on enacted laws connected to national minorities, the implementation of guaranteed rights and the willingness of ruling politicians to maintain interests of the Serbian minority. These mentioned points belong to domestic political affairs, however the position of the national minorities was significantly affected by the EU because of an ambition of every single government to join the union. Since the year 2000 the legal position of Serbs has improved in comparison to 90's when anti-Serbian mood, which was fostered by the governing Croatian democratic community, was spread through whole Croatian society. Significant part of the Serbian issue represents property rights of refugees who left the country during a war in 90's. The normalization of Serbian position formally ended in 2011 when Croatia fulfilled all EU conditions liked to the protection of national minorities and finished accession talks. This thesis concludes that EU played a key role in improving legal..