Published on 28 July 2025
FIRST SECTION
Application no. 21550/24
Edhem OSMIĆ against Croatia
and 2 other applications
(see list appended)
communicated on 10 July 2025
SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASES
The applications concern the applicants’ expulsion from Croatia on national security grounds, without reasons being given to them.
The applicant in application no. 21550/24, a national of Bosnia and Herzegovina, had been granted temporary residence in Croatia in 2014. In May 2016, when he requested a prolongation of his temporary residence due to his enrolment at university, his request was denied on national security grounds and he was served with the decision to terminate his residence and to expel him from the country. The applicant unsuccessfully challenged this decision before the administrative courts. On 11 April 2024 the Constitutional Court dismissed his constitutional complaint.
The applicants in application nos. 26366/24 and 30210/24, both German nationals, had been granted temporary residence in Croatia in July 2021. Their residence was terminated and they were prohibited from re-entering Croatia for four years on national security grounds (alleged members of an international criminal organisation) by final judgments of the High Administrative Court of 26 April 2023. Their subsequent respective constitutional complaints were dismissed on 23 April 2024 (served on 9 May 2024 and 13 June 2024, respectively).
Relying on Article 6 of the Convention, all three applicants complain that they have been expelled from Croatia on national security grounds, which were never communicated to them and contained no relevant reasons.
QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES
Did the decisions to expel the applicants, aliens lawfully resident in the territory of the respondent State, comply with the procedural requirements of Article 1 § 1 of Protocol No. 7 (see Muhammad and Muhammad v. Romania [GC], no. 80982/12, §§ 125-57, 15 October 2020, and F.S. v. Croatia, no. 8857/16, §§ 50-72, 5 December 2023)? Were the decisions to expel the applicants necessary within the meaning of Article 1 § 2 of Protocol No. 7?
APPENDIX
No.
Application no.
Case name
Lodged on
Applicant
Year of Birth
Place of Residence
Nationality
Represented by
1.
21550/24
Osmić v. Croatia
18/07/2024
Edhem OSMIĆ
1996
Sarajevo
of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Jana VOLENEC PEĆINA
2.
26366/24
Kelmendi v. Croatia
09/09/2024
Bećir KELMENDI
1966
Hann
German
Marija BUDIMIR
3.
30210/24
Kelmendi v. Croatia
11/10/2024
Alban KELMENDI
1990
Solingen
German
Marija BUDIMIR