II. Basic Provisions
Article 1
The Republic of Croatia is a unitary and indivisible democratic and social state.
Power in the Republic of Croatia derives from the people and belongs to the people as a community of free and equal citizens.
The people shall exercise this power through the election of representatives and through direct decision-making.
Article 2
The sovereignty of the Republic of Croatia is inalienable, indivisible and non-transferable.
The sovereignty of the Republic of Croatia includes its land area, rivers, lakes, canals, internal maritime waters, territorial sea, and the air space above these.
The Republic of Croatia shall exercise its sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the maritime areas and the seabed and subsoil thereof of the Adriatic Sea outside the state territory up to the borders with its neighbors in accordance with international law.
The Croatian Parliament (Sabor) or the people directly shall, independently and in accordance with the Constitution and law, decide:
- On the regulation of economic, legal and political relations in the Republic of Croatia
On the preservation of natural and cultural wealth and its utilization On association into alliances with other states.
The Republic of Croatia may conclude alliances with other states, retaining its sovereign right to decide on the powers to be delegated and the right freely to withdraw from such associations.
Article 3
Freedom, equal rights, national equality and equality of genders, love of peace, social justice, respect for human rights, inviolability of ownership, conservation of nature and the environment, the rule of law, and a democratic multiparty system are the highest values of the constitutional order of the Republic of Croatia and the ground for interpretation of the Constitution.
Article 4
In the Republic of Croatia government shall be organized on the principle of separation of powers into the legislative, executive and judicial branches, but limited by the right to local and regional self-government guaranteed by this Constitution.
The principle of separation of powers includes the forms of mutual cooperation and reciprocal checks and balances provided by the Constitution and law.
Article 5
In the Republic of Croatia laws shall comply with the Constitution, and other rules and regulations shall comply with the Constitution and law.
Everyone shall abide by the Constitution and law and respect the legal order of the Republic of Croatia.
Article 6
Formation of political parties is free.
Internal organization of political parties shall be in accordance with the fundamental constitutional democratic principles.
Parties shall publicize the accounts on sources of their assets and property.
Political parties which by their programs or violent activities aim to demolish the free democratic order endanger the existence of the Republic of Croatia are unconstitutional. The decision on unconstitutionality shall be made by the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia.
The status and financing of political parties shall be regulated by law.
Article 7
The armed forces of the Republic of Croatia shall protect its sovereignty and independence and defend its territorial integrity.
Assistance in the protection of sovereignty and independence and defence of territorial integrity may also be rendered to the Republic of Croatia by allied states pursuant to ratified international treaties.
The armed forces of allied states may cross the national border and enter the Republic of Croatia or operate within the national borders thereof as stipulated under ratified international treaties, pursuant to a decision by the Government of the Republic of Croatia with the prior consent of the President of the Republic of Croatia.
The Republic of Croatia may render assistance to allied states in case of armed aggression on one or more thereof as stipulated under ratified international treaties, pursuant to a decision of the Croatian Parliament proposed by the Government of the Republic of Croatia with the prior consent of the President of the Republic of Croatia.
The armed forces of the Republic of Croatia may cross its national borders or operate across its borders pursuant to a decision of the Croatian Parliament proposed by the Government of the Republic of Croatia with the prior consent of the President of the Republic of Croatia.
The decision specified in paragraphs (3), (4) and (5) of the Article shall be made by the Croatian Parliament by a majority vote of all of its members.
Insofar as the President of the Republic of Croatia denies the consent specified in paragraphs (3), (4) and (5) of this Article, the Croatian Parliament shall make the decision by a two-thirds majority of votes of all of its members.
The armed forces of the Republic of Croatia may cross the national borders of the Republic of Croatia for the purpose of military exercises and training within the framework of international organisations to which the Republic of Croatia has acceded or is in the process of acceding pursuant to international treaties and for the purpose of rendering humanitarian assistance, pursuant to a decision by the Government of the Republic of Croatia with the prior consent of the President of the Republic of Croatia.
The armed forces of allied states may cross the national borders of the Republic of Croatia for the purpose of military exercises and training within the framework of international organisations to which the Republic of Croatia has acceded or is in the process of acceding pursuant to international treaties and for the purpose of rendering humanitarian assistance, pursuant to a decision by the Government of the Republic of Croatia with the prior consent of the President of the Republic of Croatia.
Under the circumstances specified in Articles 17 and 101 of the Constitution, the armed forces may, if necessitated by the nature of a threat, be deployed to assist the police and other state bodies.
The armed forces of the Republic of Croatia may also be deployed to assist fire fighting and rescue operations and surveillance and protection of the rights of the Republic of Croatia at sea.
The defence structure, chain of command, administration and democratic oversight of the armed forces of the Republic of Croatia shall be regulated by the Constitution and law.
Article 8
The borders of the Republic of Croatia may only be altered by a decision of the Croatian Parliament.
Article 9
Croatian citizenship, its acquisition and termination shall be regulated by law.
No Croatian citizen shall be exiled from the Republic of Croatia or deprived of citizenship, nor extradited to another state, except in case of execution of a decision on extradition or surrender made in compliance with international treaty or the acquis communautaire of the European Union.
Article 10
The Republic of Croatia shall protect the rights and interests of its citizens living or residing abroad, and shall promote their links with the homeland.
Parts of the Croatian nation in other states shall be guaranteed special concern and protection by the Republic of Croatia.
Article 11
The coat-of-arms of the Republic of Croatia is the historic Croatian coat-of-arms whose base consists of 25 alternating red and white (argent) fields.
The flag of the Republic of Croatia consists of three colors: red, white and blue, with the historic Croatian coat-of-arms in the center.
The anthem of the Republic of Croatia is “Our Beautiful Homeland” (Lijepa naša domovino).
The description of the historic Croatian coat-of-arms and flag, the text of the anthem, and the use of these and other state symbols shall be regulated by law.
Article 12
The Croatian language and the Latin script shall be in official use in the Republic of Croatia.
In individual local units, another language and the Cyrillic or some other script may be introduced into official use along with the Croatian language and the Latin script under conditions specified by law.
Article 13
The capital of the Republic of Croatia is Zagreb.
Status, jurisdiction and organization of the capital city of Zagreb shall be regulated by law.
