History

The tradition of safeguarding and special care dedicated to the preservation of deeds, charters and documents of fundamental importance to the work of the Croatian Parliament can be traced over a long series of centuries.

Until the fifteenth century, official documents were stored in the treasury of Zagreb’s Kaptol, or clerical district, to ensure their safety. In 1505 the oldest known index of parliamentary documents was compiled, while in 1643 the renowned Chest of Privileges was constructed pursuant to a parliamentary order mandating the protection and preservation of the Kingdom’s most important documents.

In 1764 the Chest was transferred from the Cathedral to a special room in the Parliament House, at the time located in the Kingdom Hall (Domus Regnicolarus).

In 1770, Parliament instituted special measures to protect these facilities.

At the end of 1870, Parliament established the Territorial Archives to safeguard parliamentary files and public administration documents. Today it is known as the Croatian National Archives, located in Zagreb, which holds and preserves the archival materials of all central bodies of national authority, public administration and the judiciary.

The National Archives contain all of the parliamentary documentation submitted so far, stored under the following archival collections:
1. Parliament of the Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia to 1848
- Privileges of the Kingdom, 1222-1759
- Proceedings, 1557-1848
- Proceedings, 1557-1848
- Proceedings of the Parliamentary Territorial Commissions, 1618-1848
- Proceedings of the Parliamentary Commission to Confirm the Nobility, 1752-1848
- Documentation of the People’s Insurgent Army, 1797-1834

2. Parliament of the Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia, 1861-1918
3. Croatian State Parliament of the Independent State of Croatia, 1942
4. Territorial Antifascist Council of the National Liberation of Croatia, 1943-1945
5. Constitutional Parliament of the People’s Republic of Croatia, 1946-1947
6. Parliament of the People’s Republic of Croatia, 1947-1953

Two Archival Collections

Two archival collections are stored in the archives of the Croatian Parliament:
1. Archival documentation of the Parliament of the People’s Republic/Socialist Republic of Croatia, 1974-1990

2. Archival documentation of the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia/Croatian Parliament after 1990

Documentation is stored, organised and registered in the order of parliamentary sessions. For each session, the documentation is organised into the following categories:
1. Acts of Parliament:
- all instruments enacted by the Croatian Parliament during a specific session in the order specified by the Standing Orders

2. Parliamentary Sessions:
- minutes,
- transcripts of audio recordings of sessions
- materials according to items on the agenda of sessions

3. Sessions of working bodies (committees, commissions and investigative commissions):
- minutes,
- materials according to items on the agenda of sessions

4. Working body matters:
- other matters not resolved at sessions: petitions, reports, inquiries

5. Sessions of the Parliamentary Presidency:
- minutes
- transcripts of audio recordings of sessions
- materials according to items on the agenda of sessions

6. Matters handled by the Parliamentary Presidency (Office of the Speaker and Deputy Speakers):
- petitions, appeals, summons, sponsorships, visits by delegations

7. Sessions and matters handled by Deputy Clubs:
- minutes
- various other matters

8. Secretariat
- general documentation

Guidelines for the use of archival materials

Archival materials can be used for official purposes and for the needs of scholarly and journalistic research. Archival materials can be used by parliamentary deputies and officials in the Parliamentary Staff Service. Materials may be issued to them for temporary use outside of the premises of the Archives, with a guarantee of return and designation of the return deadline.

Scholars, journalists and other users must receive written approval from the Parliamentary Secretary. After obtaining approval, the materials must be used in the premises of the archives.