by croatiaweek
September 26, 2025
in
The Croatian Parliament has voted on Friday against a proposal to immediately recognise the State of Palestine.
Instead, a majority of MPs supported a resolution calling on the Government to monitor international peace initiatives and determine the right moment for such a decision, as part of broader efforts to achieve peace and a two-state solution.
The motion, put forward by the ruling coalition, was passed with 74 votes in favour, 41 against, and three abstentions.
An alternative proposal from the opposition party Možemo, which sought to compel the Government to prepare a decision on recognising Palestine within 15 days, was rejected.
That initiative gained the support of 44 MPs, while 73 voted against and four abstained.
President Zoran Milanović has been vocal in his call for recognition, arguing that Croatia should act sooner rather than later.
“Croatia needs to recognise Palestine as a step towards halting the war and the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Acknowledging the Palestinian people’s right to their own state is the only path to establishing lasting peace in the Middle East,” he said earlier.
Milanović added that he would use his constitutional powers to continue pushing for recognition and urged the Government to begin the process in Parliament.
This month, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia recognised the State of Palestine in a coordinated step. Several European states soon followed, among them France, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Andorra, Belgium and San Marino.
As of September 2025, 157 of the 193 United Nations member states – around 81% – have recognised Palestine.
For now, however, Croatia has decided to take a more cautious path, keeping recognition of Palestine as a future option tied to wider international peace efforts.