Citizenship is a special legal relationship that is lasting for its character, and it exists between the state and the individual, ie between the state and its citizen. Therefore, on the basis of the existence of nationality as a specific legal relationship, certain rights and obligations arise both on the side of the state and on the individual side. As far as the territory of the Republic of Croatia is concerned, according to the Croatian Citizenship Act there are four ways of acquiring citizenship, referring to the origin, the birth in the territory of the Republic of Croatia, the naturalization and the international treaties. The fundamental way of acquiring Croatian citizenship implies the principle of origin or blood relation, for the reason that the child by virtue of the force of law acquires Croatian citizenship. With regard to acquisition, Croatian citizenship may be terminated by dismissal, waiver and international treaties. The acquisition and loss of national citizenship is of great importance, while the primary objective of EU citizenship is to create a more intimate connection between the European Union and its Member States.