“We Remain Extremely Committed to the Ideal of Perfecting This Union“
Q&A with Pjer Šimunović, Ambassador of Croatia
Name: Pjer Šimunović | Age: 55| Hometown: Zagreb, Croatia
Ambassador to the U.S. since: September 8, 2017
Tell us a little bit about your family and personal background. Where did you grow up, what was your childhood like?
I was born in Split, a beautiful ancient city on the Adriatic coast with some of the best preserved Roman architecture — it is home to the retirement palace that emperor Diocletian built for himself. The paternal side of my family is from an island off Split called Brač and the maternal side of the family is from another island off Split called Korčula, but I’ve lived for most of my life in Zagreb — the capital.
Before joining the Foreign Ministry you were a journalist and worked during the time that communism was beginning to unravel. What would you say is the most important lesson you learned during that period that you’ve carried with you into your career as a diplomat?
Having had the misfortune of spending a part of my life under communism has enabled me to cherish personal liberties that a lot of people in the west, us included now as well, take for granted. Rule of law, freedom, democracy, and the free market are things we need to take care of and continue to advance. We have to fight with all our power against any attempts of authoritarianism, totalitarianism, intolerance, and extremism.
Like many of your fellow journalists covering foreign affairs, you were invited to join Croatia’s Foreign Ministry shortly after Croatia gained its independence. What was it like in those early days?
It was a big adventure. We were creating something new and there was a sense of responsibility, mission, of total commitment for something you could finally call your own country. It was our country in a national sense, but equally important, it was a democratic country open to the world. Our main strategic aim was to reintegrate into the western world in all aspects and to rejoin the community of western democracies, most visibly symbolized by becoming an EU and NATO member. That was our mission. We were all very young at the time. Our actual president, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, was one of those early diplomats. And so was the prime minister, Andrej Plenković.
Croatia is the 28th and most recent member of the EU (joined in 2013). What does Croatia’s EU membership mean for you personally?
For me personally, it’s the sense that Croatia belongs to the western world historically, politically, culturally, and economically. Under the rule of communism, Croatia’s distinct national identity — its history, language, culture, politics, geography, and borders — had very much been taken away. We indeed wanted to be integrated into a wider European community of democratic nations, as an independent nation willingly joining other European countries on a common journey.
We have been extremely committed to the idea of European solidarity and the European Union, and we remain ever so.
Philosophically, we see the EU as a most suitable framework enabling us to fulfil our strategic interests and make our distinct contribution to a wider European destiny.
What is the greatest benefit Croatia has seen through its membership with the EU?
The benefits have been enormous in all spheres. We already began to see benefits during the accession process because it entailed deep reforms in our economy, environment, and political system. The process is a very comprehensive one and was extremely useful in forming and elevating our society to the level of the other European countries who were already members. We had many more economic opportunities, including access to European funds, which helped us address certain sectors of our economy that needed more support.
There is a level of European solidarity and on the political level it’s immense. You are part of the club. You are at the table when important issues are being discussed. You make your own contribution to the joint policies that are being adopted. Your own importance is elevated because you belong to that powerful group of countries which together form the European Union. We remain extremely committed to the ideal of perfecting this union.
You’ve served as Croatia’s national coordinator for NATO and have held a variety of interesting postings both in Croatia and abroad. Thinking back over your career, have you had a favorite posting?
Being Croatia’s ambassador to Washington is an enormous honor and privilege. Excluding the present posting, participating in the process of Croatia’s becoming a member of NATO was a truly formative experience of real historic dimension. This dimension was nicely exemplified by the words of President Bush during his visit to Zagreb, celebrating Croatia’s, and Albania’s, accession to NATO: “Now nobody can take your freedom away.” Throughout history, our territory had been torn apart, our freedom compromised. Joining the most powerful standing alliance in the history of mankind meant we were safe. If somebody attacks one member of the alliance, it has attacked all of its members. There is a deep sense of responsibility and solidarity, coupled with the great benefits you receive from NATO membership. For us all in Croatia, taking part in gaining and defending our independence was a most fulfilling and memorable journey.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time here as ambassador?
Our overall strategic aim and the essence of my mission here is to continue forging a strategic alliance with the U.S. across the full spectrum of what we can accomplish together in the areas of diplomacy, defense, security, economy.
We also have to keep discovering fresh areas where our interests converge. I see a great potential in reinforcing our ties in the fields of investment, trade, education, scientific research, and tourism.
What has been most important in helping you achieve success in your career?
The early, intense, and varied exposure to life and world affairs I got as a journalist, coupled with my postgraduate studies at the Department of War Studies at King’s College London — one of the finest institutions in the world — followed by a great deal of academic research and writing. These studies have been a distinct education in terms of delving deeper into international affairs, history, defense and security. The logic, methodology, knowledge, skill have stayed with me and have been very helpful to me.
Is this your first time in Washington?
The first time I was in Washington was with the State Department’s International Visitors program as a journalist in the summer of 1991, just before the war in former Yugoslavia. Since then, I’ve been back to the U.S. many times, but this is my first time actually living here. I find D.C. to be an extremely pleasant place to live — it has the right combination of being relaxed while being supremely important. It is also very harmonious with nature. Just the other day I saw a big deer venturing into the garden of my residence.
What are some of your hobbies or interests?
I’m still boxing once or twice a week. I read a lot and like to visit new places with my wife and searching for different antiques. We also like to play with Mo, our crazy French bulldog. It’s like watching the Discovery channel live, it has a calming effect on you.
If you were not a diplomat (or journalist), what would you be?
If I had not been a diplomat or a journalist, I guess I may have been a researcher or lecturer. As a young man I was very much into sports and did judo and later boxing. That can hardly be a second career today, but once upon a time…who knows? Maybe even now it’s not too late to give it one last try…
What advice would you give to young people?
Strive for perfection where it really matters and where you feel you can make a difference. Get the best possible education, stay focused, go deep, and don’t get easily distracted or discouraged. Follow your instincts, take initiative and work on self-perfection. You might be the smartest person around, but it’s extremely important to work on your practical and social skills and not just remain in the sphere of ideas.
Don’t give up, bounce back after a fall to fight another day, learn your lessons. Be considerate towards those around you. And put it all into practice.
What do you think Americans would be most surprised to learn about Croatia?
You’d be surprised, they know a lot. A lot of Americans know that Croatia is a beautiful destination for holidays. We get almost half a million American tourists each year. They also know Croatia through sports. We’re a super power in sports considering the size and population of the country, particularly in the field of soccer, basketball. On the political side, we’ve been able to forge a visible, tangible alliance between Croatia and the U.S. over the years. We were in Afghanistan from the beginning and still have more than 100 soldiers serving there. We had troops in Kosovo and other places. We see eye to eye on the threats we face and the defense and security relationship is very likely the biggest thing that connects us to the U.S. We feel it has been very much appreciated by our American friends.
What are you most proud of?
Surely, everything starts with the family. My wife Ružica and my daughter Luja are my main source of strength and inspiration. From a wider, national perspective, gaining our independence, establishing and building our democracy, anchoring our country firmly into the western community of nations — this is the single most important thing, and a huge achievement.
This story is part of the @EUintheUS “Ambassador Spotlight Series,” featuring in-depth, personal interviews with ambassadors from the European Union’s 28 Member States. Follow our publication and stay tuned for the next story.
