ZAGREB, 13 Dec 2021 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said during a visit to Sarajevo on Monday that the bonds between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are unbreakable and that Croatia remains Bosnia and Herzegovina's greatest friend and its advocate in the European Union.

Plenković is leading a government delegation on an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina. On arriving in Sarajevo on Monday morning, he met with his counterpart, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Zoran Tegeltija, and his ministers.

The visit comes at a time when Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing the biggest internal crisis since the 1992-1995 war caused by the attempts of the Bosnian Serb authorities to separate the Republika Srpska entity from the country's constitutional and legal system.

Speaking to the press after the meeting between the two government delegations, Plenković said that Croatia is closely following developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina and that his message is that Croatia is a friend and partner seeking to promote cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina and support its territorial integrity and the equality of its two entities and three constituent peoples.

"We would like the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina to be functioning," Plenković said.

Commenting on last week's conclusions by the Republika Srpska parliament that laid the ground for repealing some of the important state-level laws, the Croatian prime minister said it is yet to be seen to what extent this is a maneuver and to what extent it is the actual wish of the Bosnian Serb authorities to endanger the existence of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Plenković said that Croatia by no means wants to see any separatist tendencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina and expects full compliance with the Dayton peace agreement, which ended the country's 1992-1995 war. He noted that Croatia is one of its signatories and that its late president Franjo Tuđman was one of its authors.

The Croatian PM added that it is very important for Croatia to see that the Croats, as the smallest of the three constituent peoples, have all their rights guaranteed, including a new election law that should be the result of an internal agreement. He said that he expects this to happen no later than May next year when a general election is to be called.

"We are not pleased with the practice that has existed since 2006 and that represents an obstacle to institutional cooperation between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina," Plenković said, alluding to the fact that there have been no high-level meetings between the two countries for years because Croatia does not recognize the legitimacy of Željko Komšić as the Croat member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency.

Asked whether he has come to "iron out" the relationship between the countries following reactions to statements by Croatian President Zoran Milanović, including one in which he downplayed the Srebrenica genocide, Plenković said there is no need for such an intervention because the two countries have a good relationship and Croatia's position on the Srebrenica genocide was and remains clear.

The Croatian PM reaffirmed Croatia's readiness to assist Bosnia and Herzegovina in Euro-Atlantic integration, improve economic cooperation, and work on improving infrastructure and energy connectivity.

He noted the importance of the construction of the motorway along the pan-European corridor Vc and the connection of the two countries' natural gas networks via Zagvozd to Posušje in the south. He added that diversification of supply sources has become very important and that this will pave the way for gas delivery from the LNG terminal on the northern Adriatic island of Krk.

Plenković estimated this year's trade between the two countries at over €2 billion.

Tegeltija said he shared Plenković's view that the constituent peoples should have their legitimate representatives in government, adding that "someone is now trying to shirk the agreement in principle that was reached" during negotiations on new election rules for the southern city of Mostar. He said it would not be good for next year's election to be held according to the present rules.

Tegeltija said that Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia have good economic and political relations "despite attempts by individuals to portray them differently."

Speaking of unresolved issues, he cited the status of property owned by citizens of the two countries, arbitration over the Gacko thermal power plant, the agreement on borders, and Croatia's plan to build a radioactive waste disposal facility on Mount Trgovska Gora near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Tegeltija said his personal opinion is that Croatia should look for another location for radioactive waste disposal, while Plenković said that there is continued dialogue on the matter and that there is no reason for safety concerns about the Trgovska Gora site.

Plenković continued his visit to Sarajevo by meeting with the speakers of both chambers of the state parliament, after which he is scheduled to lay a wreath at the monument to the first victims of the siege of Sarajevo during the 1992-1995 war. Before traveling to Mostar, he is due to meet separately with the leaders of the three largest religious communities in the country.

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ZAGREB, 10 Dec 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Thursday congratulated the new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on his appointment, thanking Germany for its support to Croatia in its bid to join the Schengen area of passport-free travel and the euro area, the government said.

"My most heartfelt congratulations on your appointment as Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany and best wishes for a successful term in office. I look forward to cooperation in further deepening relations between our two countries as well as on topics of importance for the future of the European Union," PM Plenković said in his message.

Srdačno čestitam @OlafScholz na izboru za saveznog kancelara ?? i želim puno uspjeha u obnašanju dužnosti! Radujem se suradnji na daljnjem jačanju partnerstva i gospodarskih odnosa ????, kao i na temama važnima za budućnost ??. https://t.co/EzGoUTkGaA

— Andrej Plenković (@AndrejPlenkovic) December 9, 2021

He also expressed gratitude for Germany's support to Croatia's efforts to accomplish its strategic priorities - membership of the Schengen area and of the euro area, underlining the importance of a common contribution to the stability and EU membership prospects of Southeast Europe.

"The 30th anniversary of our bilateral relations next year is a symbolic opportunity to additionally strengthening our partnership and cooperation on the political, economic, scientific and cultural fronts, as well as in a number of other important areas," Plenković said in his message.

Scholz was sworn in as Chancellor on Wednesday. He is Germany's ninth post-war chancellor and successor to Angela Merkel, who held the post since 2005.

Germany's new Social Democrat-Green-Liberal government, headed by Scholz, has 416 deputies in the 736-member 20th Bundestag.

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ZAGREB, 2 Dec 2021 - The eastern city of Osijek marked its day on Thursday with a special City Council session at which Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said the government would continue to strongly support the region of Slavonia, Baranja, and Srijem through the policy launched five years ago.

He said that five years ago the government concluded that it was necessary to immediately do the utmost for the region's welfare and that that was the backbone of the policy for a region that was devastated by the Greater Serbia military aggression and which suffered major economic and population problems.

"We felt it was time to offer a strong hand of support to Osijek and Slavonia from the national level, and after five years of that policy, the results can be seen. It's visible that that policy was the right one and useful for citizens in all Slavonia counties, notably in Osijek-Baranja County, which is the engine of the modern development of all Slavonia."

Plenković recalled the many investment projects financed by the government and the EU.

They are all messages that we wish to make Osijek a real regional center of eastern Slavonia, a center of the academic community, culture, the economy, and modern technologies which will attract young people, he said.

He recalled that during the pandemic, government measures helped to save 17,000 jobs in Osijek, with 2,800 companies receiving HRK 242.3 million for wages in the private sector.

Plenković also said that Croatia's entry into the euro area would bring further investment.

Mayor: Biggest budget ever for the continuation of economic growth

Osijek Mayor Ivan Radić (HDZ) said the City Council recently adopted the biggest budget in the city's history, HRK 1.08 billion, and that it would facilitate the continuation of economic growth and development, the strengthening of the pre-school and school education system, the maintenance of the local infrastructure, and care for the most vulnerable groups.

He said a good absorption of national and EU funds was a priority for the realization of city projects, adding that funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan would also be tapped.

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ZAGREB, 26 Nov 2021- Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Friday the purchase of French fighter jets was a big step forward as they were state-of-the-art technology and represented French-Croatian cooperation as well as contributing to European defence and strategic autonomy at EU level.

"That's such a strong and big step forward for the Croatian Army. We can be very satisfied. I think it's a phenomenal step forward and that it's a step forward for which we waited 30 years. I haven't heard even a hint of dissatisfaction from anyone who deals with this all the time," he told the press.

As for the general comment "we could have given the money for something else," we are giving it, he added.

The aircraft will be paid for over several years without it impacting the deficit, Plenković said, adding that the process was "carefully calibrated and carried out in a way we can be proud of."

As for criticisms that the price of the jets has gone up, which President Zoran Milanović said was scandalous, Plenković said, "If yesterday he was happy and today it's a scandal, did he wait for Macron to leave before reacting? I find it a little ridiculous."

French President Emmanuel Macron visited Croatia on Wednesday and Thursday, when an agreement on the purchase of the Rafale fighter jets was signed.

Plenković said VAT was not paid on used goods but on the commercial part and that the state paid that to itself. As for price indexation in the repayment years, he said it was something normal.

As for Milanović's criticisms that no one had consulted him about a strategic defence agreement, the prime minister said he could care less.

"He met with Macron yesterday, he supported the purchase of the aircraft. The strategic partnership is a document signed by the government and the French president. He received the document, the preparation and the information. It's ridiculous that he's complaining after the meeting. He should be happy."

Plenković said everyone was looking for some media coverage, but that one should be smart about it.

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November 25, 2021 - As part of a busy schedule on his first official visit to Croatia, French President Emmanuel Macron met Mate Rimac in Zagreb, and was introduced to the recently merged Bugatti Rimac, a notorious union between France and Croatia.

After meeting President Milanović and signing the agreement for the sale of 12 Rafale fighter jets, the French president continued with the rest of the activities scheduled for his official visit to Croatia. Along with Andrej Plenković, Emmanuel Macron met Mate Rimac in Zagreb.

As Jutarnji List reports, shortly after 1 p.m., Rimac Group CEO Mate Rimac and Bugatti Rimac Chief Operating Officer Christophe Pichon presented two Nevera and Bugatti cars on the terrace of the Esplanade Hotel to Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and President Emmanuel Macron.

By the way, Bugatti is a French company that recently moved to Zagreb, since they were taken over by the Croatian manufacturer of electric hypercars Mate Rimac.

''It is already somewhat common that the Croatian Government likes to show foreign guests what we are advanced in, so I am glad that they chose us. Especially because we have a lot of employees in France as well'', said Mate Rimac.

The French leader was greeted at the entrance to the Zagreb hotel by the Alkars of Sinj.

''This shows the cooperation between France and Croatia'', said Rimac.

''Bugatti has a 112-year history in Molsheim, France, and we make the fastest petrol cars there, and we make the fastest electric cars in the world here in Zagreb. So it made sense to connect the two'', he added.

Macron and Plenković toured Bugatti's Chiron, a car with more than 1,600 horsepower that is the fastest in the world with a speed of 490 kilometers, and Rimčev Nevera, the car with the fastest acceleration in the world.

President Macron will end his official visit to Croatia with a working lunch at the Esplanade hosted by Prime Minister Plenković, which will be attended by people from the public, economic, cultural, scientific, and sports life that connect Croatia and France.

The coach of all the coaches also arrived for lunch.

''I am not only happy to be here, but also proud and I think that all Croats should be proud because this is one of the greatest European politicians. I hope to talk to him about women'', said Miroslav Ciro Blazevic.

Zlatko Dalic did not want to comment on anything, so Ciro added: "That's because he is an athlete, not a politician."

After lunch, Macron travels to Rome, on official visits to Italy and the Vatican.

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ZAGREB, 25 Nov 2021 - Two Dassault Rafale F3R multipurpose aircraft made a flyover of Zagreb on Thursday after Croatia and France signed an agreement on purchasing 12 such fighter jets for Croatia's Air Forces.

The flyover was performed after the agreement-signing ceremony and after the talks between the visiting French President Emmanuel Macron and his host, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

The contract on the purchase of the 12 planes was signed by the defence ministers, Mario Banožić and Forence Parly. 

Croatia is the second country in the European Union after Greece to buy Rafale, and the French bid was chosen in competition with the American (new F-16 Block 70), Swedish (new JAS 39 Gripen) and Israeli (used F-16 Barak) planes.

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ZAGREB, 25 Nov 2021 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and French President Emmanuel Macron signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement in Government House on Thursday, which will further strengthen relations between Zagreb and Paris.

The agreement was signed after their bilateral meeting.

France and Croatia already agreed on a strategic partnership in 2010, but the new agreement will expand and deepen it to a number of new areas. It will be a framework for the further strengthening of relations with that country, it was announced.

With the new strategic partnership, France is supporting Croatia in several areas, political, economic, and cultural, including those that are Zagreb's strategic goals - entry into the Schengen Area and the eurozone, and Croatia's membership in the OECD, Croatian sources said earlier.

After meeting with President Zoran Milanović earlier today, Macron hinted that France would support's Croatia's Schengen Area entry.

He said France and Croatia would continue to cooperate in security and migration, and "there's also Schengen."

Croatia expects that the legal process of making a formal decision to join Schengen could begin in December this year during Slovenia's EU presidency, and the final decision made during the French presidency in the first half of next year.

France's support is also important in light of the fact that France is one of the core members of the EU, but also one of the most influential countries in the world. It is the only permanent member of the Security Council from the EU, the number one military and nuclear power of the bloc, and the seventh-largest world economy.

The new strategic partnership also includes chapters on defence issues, economic relations, cultural, scientific, academic, and administrative cooperation.

The idea of ​​the new strategic partnership is also for "Croatia to become a privileged partner of France in this part of Europe," sources said earlier.

Macron's visit to Croatia is taking place ahead of the French takeover of the six-month presidency of the EU Council from January 1 next year, and in 2022, the current head of state will run again in France's presidential elections.

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ZAGREB, 25 Nov 2021 - Croatia and France signed an agreement in Zagreb on Thursday on the purchase of French Rafale fighter jets, which will raise the defense capability of the Croatian Army to a much higher level.

The agreement was signed by the two countries' defence ministers, Mario Banožić and Florence Parly, in the presence of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and French President Emmanuel Macron, who arrived on Wednesday for the first official bilateral visit of a French president to Croatia.

Croatia is buying from France 12 Dassault Rafale F3R used multipurpose fighter jets - ten single-seats and two two-seaters - for €999 million to be paid in five installments from 2022 to 2026.

"Those agreements open a new dimension and page in strengthening the defence capabilities of the Croatian Army, the Croatian Air Force. Strategic partnership," Plenković said at a government session on Wednesday.

He had previously stressed that "the acquisition of Rafale fighter jets is strategically changing Croatia's position in the military and defence context, in terms of strength towards international partners, security alliances and coalitions".

On the occasion of signing the agreement, two Rafales flew over Zagreb, exactly the same kind that Croatia is procuring from France.

The first planes are expected to arrive in Croatia in late 2023 or early 2024.

In 2007, Rafale jets proved themselves in Afghanistan, then in Libya, the Sahel, and the Middle East, and in 2015, the first sales of those planes started in Egypt, Qatar, and India a year later.

Croatia is the second country in the European Union after Greece to buy Rafale, and the French bid was chosen in competition with the American (new F-16 Block 70), Swedish (new JAS 39 Gripen), and Israeli (used F-16 Barak) planes.

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ZAGREB, 25 Nov 2021 - President Emmanuel Macron said in Zagreb on Thursday that France and Croatia would continue cooperating in the sectors of security and migrations, and hinted at French support for Croatia's plan to join the Schengen Area.

Marcon was received by Croatian President Zoran Milanović in his office on Thursday morning with the highest state honors.

Addressing the press after their talks, Milanović said that it was a special honor for him to receive the French head of state.

Macron said that he was proud of being the first French president to visit Croatia since the country gained independence. He said that it was unfair that no French president had visited Croatia before.

Announcing the continuation of cooperation between the two countries in the sectors of security and migrations, Macron added, "Schengen is also here."

Croatia expects the legal procedure for a formal decision on its accession to the Schengen Area to be launched this December when Slovenia is still the chair of the Council of the European Union, and the final decision to be made in the first half of 2022 when France presides over the EU.

Milanović and Macron also discussed the procurement of 12 Rafale fighter jets from France for the Croatian Air Forces.

"This is a big deal in Croatia, both strategically and financially. I am happy about that," Milanović said, adding that the strengthening of Croatia's defence cooperation with France did not mean a halt in cooperation with the United States.

"We have cooperated and we will cooperate with the USA," he said.

During the reception at the Pantovčak presidential office, Macron also held a brief meeting with Croatian pilots who will be trained to fly 12 Dassault Rafale F3R used multipurpose fighter jets.

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ZAGREB, 23 Nov 2021 - Croatia is with you in these difficult moments, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in his condolences to North Macedonia PM Zoran Zaev and the families of that country's citizens killed when a bus caught fire in Bulgaria, killing 45 people, the Croatian government said on Tuesday.

The bus with North Macedonia license plates and 52 people on board caught fire on a motorway in western Bulgaria this morning.

An employee of the North Macedonia Embassy in Sofia told BTV that most of the fatalities were North Macedonia citizens.

"It was with great sorrow and genuine regret that I received news of the horrible tragedy in Bulgaria in which most of those killed were your citizens. In these difficult moments for the victims' families, as well as for all North Macedonia, Croatia is with you," Plenković said in his note of condolence to Zaev.

Izražavamo najdublju sućut @Zoran_Zaev i obiteljima stradalih nakon strašnog požara autobusa na autocesti u Bugarskoj gdje je poginuo velik broj ljudi. U ovim teškim trenucima za cijelu Sjevernu Makedoniju, Hrvatska je s vama! Naše su misli i molitve uz ?? i obitelji stradalih.

— Andrej Plenković (@AndrejPlenkovic) November 23, 2021

Plenković extended condolences to Zaev, the victims' families, and all of North Macedonia on behalf of the government, the Croatian people, and his own.

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