Challenges of Integrating Refugees into Croatian Society: Attitudes of Citizens and the Readiness of Local Communities

Integracija i uključivanje osoba pod međunarodnom zaštitom (azilanata, izbjeglica) u društvo ostvaruje se u procesu njihova kontakta i interakcije s institucijama i građanima u lokalnim zajednicama u kojima se organizira njihov prihvat i smještaj. Pri tome je ostvarenje društvenih, ekonomskih, kulturnih i svih drugih dimenzija integracije u lokalnim zajednicama posredovano aktivnostima različitih nacionalnih i lokalnih dionika u sustavu integracije. Stvaranje preduvjeta za upoznavanje hrvatskih građana s izbjeglicama iziskuje zajedničke napore svih dionika sustava i rad na informiranju i senzibiliziranju građana na prisutnost, prava i obveze osoba pod zaštitom, kako bi se prevenirale i ublažile moguće negativne pojave diskriminacije, isključivanja i marginalizacije, te kako bi osobe pod me- đunarodnom zaštitom postale prihvaćeni i integrirani članovi lokalnih zajednica i društva u cjelini. Stoga ovo istraživanje analizira kapacitete i izazove te procjenjuje resurse i potrebe jedinica lokalne i regionalne (područne) samouprave s obzirom na dosadašnje ili na buduće iskustvo prihvata i integracije osoba pod zaštitom. Osim toga, u ovom se istra- živanju utvrđuju i stavovi hrvatskih građana prema osobama pod zaštitom te spremnost građana za prihvat i integraciju azilanata u njihove lokalne zajednice. The integration and inclusion of persons under international protection (i.e. persons granted asylum and refugees) into society proceeds through their contacts and interactions with institutions and residents in local communities where their reception and accommodation have been organised. In this process, the achievement of social, economic, cultural and all other dimensions of integration in local communities is facilitated by the activities of different national and local stakeholders in the integration system. Creating the conditions for Croatian citizens to familiarize themselves with refugees requires joint efforts by all system stakeholders and engagement to inform citizens and raise their awareness about the presence, rights and obligations of persons under protection, with a view to preventing and mitigating any negative manifestations of discrimination, exclusion and marginalisation, and to ensuring that persons under international protection become accepted and integrated members of local communities and society as a whole. With this in mind, this research has analysed capacities and challenges, and assessed the resources and needs of local and regional self-government units given their past or future experience with the reception and integration of persons under protection. Furthermore, this research has also identified the attitudes of Croatian citizens towards persons under protection and their readiness for the reception and integration of persons granted asylum in their local communities.