Croatia has been selected to become a member of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations for the first time ever. According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Croatia has elected to this important council on Friday.

Croatia has been elected to the Council on the three-year period from 2017 to 2019 commented the Ministry.

The Human Rights Council is crucial to an intergovernmental body established by resolution of the General Assembly of the UN in 2006, with a mandate to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights on a global level, as well as the consideration of the human rights situation in all countries of the world.

All 193 UN member states voted on selecting the fourteen countries that would be added to the 47 country council. Instead of Russia the General assembly chose Croatia and Hungary as the representatives from Eastern Europe. This is the first time since 2006 that Russia has not been a member of the council.

Russia received 112 votes whilst Croatia and Hungary both received 114 votes.