evidence: The dispute over the Gulf of Piran with Slovenia made the authorities in Zagreb realize how the diplomatic position of a country that is already a member of the European Union is changing The dispute over the Gulf of Piran with Slovenia made the authorities in Zagreb realize how the diplomatic position of a country that is already a member of the European Union is changing. The Croatians, therefore, used their presence in the EU to achieve their foreign policy goals. For years, the most crucial point of Croatian foreign policy has been the issue of their compatriots living in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Thanks to Croatia’s presence in the EU, the issue of the Bosnian Croats has entered the European agenda. The government of Andrej Plenković was one of the most active in supporting BiH’s membership to the EU. In January of this year, the Croatian Prime Minister arrived in Sarajevo with the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The motivation of the Bosnian elites and the conviction of the Dutch, who were sceptical about enlargement, resulted in the opening of accession negotiations with BiH. The manner in which the government in Zagreb interferes in the internal affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina and has used Croats in BiH is cause for concern (Kraske, 2023).