While the German Chancellor addresses the Bundestag before the European Council session on the topic of Ukraine, the Croatian Prime Minister only reports to the Parliament afterwards on the positions taken by Croatia. Plenković nevertheless harmonizes his positions, but only with the party group to which the HDZ belongs - the European People's Party (EPP). The Croatian Parliament is thus losing its controlling role over European affairs.
In order for the European Union to truly come to life among its citizens, it is necessary to continuously strengthen its democracy and bring its work closer to the citizens of the member states. At the national level, one of the key aspects of this process is to increase the role of national parliaments in shaping European policies. This approach ensures greater oversight over decisions that have a broad political, economic and security impact on the citizens of the member states. The extraordinary meeting of the European Council held at the beginning of the month is an opportunity for Gong to once again warn about the importance of including the Parliament in the Government's strategic decisions, especially those on security policy.
The issue of support for Ukraine, as well as strengthening the security capacities of the European Union, is of immense importance at this time. Aid to Ukraine is a significant topic on the European political scene, which has reopened the question of the role of national parliaments in deciding on issues concerning European security, defence, and foreign policy. While in some member states, such as Denmark, the practice is for the government to consult with parliament before attending European Council meetings, in Croatia, the Parliament is only informed afterwards about the positions taken by Croatia. Gong considers such a practice insufficiently democratic, and believes that in this matter, as in all other European affairs, the process of tailoring European policies should be brought closer to citizens, to strengthen democracy, but also to preserve trust in the European Union itself.
In other countries, such as Germany, Chancellor Scholz addresses the parliament before European Council meetings. The Croatian Prime Minister does not do this, instead coordinating only with the EPP. Namely, while Croatian legislators, as well as citizens, have no time before meetings, Plenković meets with his EPP colleagues before the European Council, which is evident from earlier reports published on the European Parliament's website. EPP members meet before each European Council session. Their representatives in the European Parliament, members of the Commission, as well as the leaders of the EPP member states, coordinate their positions. On the other hand, the Croatian Parliament only receives a report on the meetings held and the position taken by Croatia after the European Council.
The Case of Ukraine: Decisions on Support
The extraordinary meeting of the European Council held on March 6th, 2025, was dedicated to the issue of support for Ukraine by the European Union members, which is at the heart of European foreign policy, as well as the European Union's defence policy. The European Council brings together the heads of state or government of the member states, and unlike the European Parliament, which represents the citizens of the EU, and the European Commission, which represents the interests of the European Union as a community, the European Council represents the member states. It plays a key role in setting the political guidelines of the EU, but it is not a legislative body. Although the European Council issues political guidelines and represents the executive branch of the EU together with the Commission, national parliaments, such as the Croatian Parliament, play an important role in approving or commenting on decisions concerning international policy. These should then be jointly agreed by the heads of state, as representatives of the interests of the member states, at European Councils.
The decision on Croatia's participation in support for Ukraine should be discussed in the Parliament, as such decisions have a far-reaching impact on the country's foreign policy and security. Also, due to previous experiences where the Prime Minister publicly commits on behalf of the Republic of Croatia, but the same decisions are not made due to the relationship with the President and the lack of support in the Parliament (which undermines the reputation and trust in the Republic of Croatia of our allies) the Parliament needs to show whether it stands behind such far-reaching decisions before the Prime Minister even presents them at the European Council. Considering these issues in national parliaments can also significantly contribute to strengthening democratic accountability, as it allows for the direct participation of elected representatives of citizens in the decision-making processes that shape the future of the country and the wider European community.
European Council decisions and their connection with citizens
The European Council's responsibility for determining the EU's political guidelines means that key decisions, including those related to EU enlargement, foreign policy, and security, can have profound consequences for the lives of citizens. However, in order for these decisions to be legitimate, citizens must be informed and involved in political processes.
Gong emphasizes the importance of greater openness in European affairs, greater involvement of national parliaments in decision-making, and that citizens should have better insight into how decisions related to the European Union level are made. Transparency of European processes, together with greater engagement of national parliaments, can increase citizens' trust in the EU and ensure that European decisions truly reflect their interests. This is important both for a more democratic European Union, but also for citizens' support for its decisions and its preservation, in times of great geopolitical uncertainty.
