ZAGREB, 28 July, 2021 - Defence Minister Mario Božinović said on Wednesday the Croatian Armed Forces had zero tolerance for drug abuse, and in the context of the latest drug abuse cases, the minister announced stricter control and disciplinary measures aimed at reducing drug abuse to a minimum and protecting the reputation of the Croatian Armed Forces.

Speaking to the press ahead of an inner cabinet meeting, Banožić said that in accordance with the Drug Abuse Prevention Act, the military police were implementing emergency control measures.

He confirmed that along with the four soldiers who had tested positive for drugs in early July, another three soldiers tested positive for illegal substances last Friday while one more soldier tried to avoid testing.

A total of 30 soldiers in barracks in Split, Ploče, Udbina, Delnice, Vinkovci and  Velika Gorica have been tested so far and drug testing will continue.

The minister expects everyone in the Armed Forces to make joint efforts to prevent drug abuse, announcing a set of measures to deal with this problem.

Banožić said the military police were still investigating recent suicide cases in the Armed Forces and that the public would be notified of the results of the investigation in due course.

The minister also announced increased counselling for members of the Armed Forces.

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ZAGREB, 27 July, 2021 - The 26th anniversary of Operation Storm will be organised in accordance with epidemiological measures and the central celebration will be held at the football stadium in Knin, while the ceremonial part will take place at the Knin Fortress, Veterans' Affairs Minister Tomo Medved said on Tuesday.

Based on guidance from the Croatian Public Health Institute on compliance with coronavirus restrictions, it has been assessed that the Knin stadium is the best place to organise a dignified commemoration of this important date in our recent history while respecting the epidemiological measures, Medved told a press conference after a meeting of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and relevant cabinet ministers with representatives of the association of retired Croatian army generals.

Before the commemoration, senior state officials will lay wreaths in front of the monument to the casualties and the 1991-1995 Homeland War.

Asked whether he expected representatives of the Serb minority to attend, after Deputy Prime Minister Boris Milošević of the Independent Democratic Serbian Party (SDSS) attended last year's ceremony, Medved said that an agreement had not yet been reached as to which cabinet members would be attending.

Reporters were also interested in hearing whether anyone from the Croatian Defence Force (HOS), the paramilitary arm of the right-wing Croatian Party of Rights,  would attend, Medved said that the position of the Council for Facing the Past was clear and that all components of the Croatian army and police, as well as associations of Homeland War veterans and casualties, would be invited to attend that important anniversary.

Miljavac: The problem is that young people are being recruited with HOS insignia

The head of the association of retired army generals, Pavao Miljavac, said that the association supports the idea for the commemoration to be held at the stadium due to the COVID-19 situation.

As for HOS's participation in the war, Miljavac said that its members need to be honoured as they went to defend Croatia without any ideology.

"The problem to me is that young people, 19 or 20 year olds,  are again being recruited with HOS insignia," said Miljavac and quoted the late president Franjo Tuđman as saying: "Had we continued down that path, Croatia would hardly have been recognised."

During the meeting, the participants discussed disagreements over the Civilian Casualties of the Homeland War Act.

Miljavac underscored that the minister assured them that the law would be implemented in such a way that it will minimise any possible abuse of the law.

"Strict coordination will be conducted between the Interior Ministry and Croatian defenders. We have a list of who was where - almost 95%, so that it will be strictly implemented, and there shouldn't be any abuse," he said.

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ZAGREB, 27 July, 2021 - Croatian President and Armed Forces Commander in Chief Zoran Milanović met on Tuesday with General Claudio Graziano, the Chairman of the European Union Military Committee, the President's Office said in a press release.

Graziano thanked Milanović for the participation of the Croatian Armed Forces in EU-led missions and operations.

They talked about the Strategic Compass document which is expected to give the EU clear security and defence guidelines in the coming period.

The talks also focused on battle groups, operations and missions led by the EU, cooperation between the EU and NATO, and the development of the Union's defence and security capabilities, the press release said.

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ZAGREB, 21 July, 2021 - Defence Minister Mario Banožić and the Croatian Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff , Admiral Robert Hranj are on an official visit to the USA to mark the 25th anniversary of cooperation with the Minnesota National Guard, as part of the State Partnership Programme, the Defence Ministry reported on Wednesday.

This is Minister Banožić's first official visit to the United States since stepping into office.

Banožić and Hranj visited the Sikorsky helicopter factory in Connecticut on Monday where they met with the company's executives and president Paul Lemmo.

The company is a subsidiary of the Lockhead Martin company which also producers UH-60 Black Hawk and SH-60 Seahawk helicopters. 

The Defence Ministry (MORH) points out the importance of military and technological cooperation with the USA which includes donations and the procurement of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters for the armed forces. During the meeting, Minister Banožić said that a US donation in 2019 was an important support to Croatia's national policy aimed at transitioning to equipment originating in the West.

"After that donation, we decided to procure two more Black Hawk helicopters and have allocated $85 million for that purpose. Our ambition is to continue developing this investment because, being a reliable and credible member of the NATO alliance, the transition to Western technology is the only possible and correct path," Banožić said. He expressed his satisfaction that at the moment Croatia's military pilots and aviation technicians are attending various training courses in the US, specialising in particular on the  Black Hawk helicopter.

"We also have two pilots gaining additional flying hours in Minnesota in cooperation and assistance of the Minnesota National Guard. This is important for us, not only in the context of buying equipment but in the context of security because we will obtain the necessary support in training," added Banožić.

Black Hawk helicopters can be used to support civilian institutions - in fighting wildfires, search and rescue missions, and emergency medical transport.

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ZAGREB, 20 July, 2021 - The Defence Ministry will make every effort to prevent unfortunate incidents in the Croatian Army, after five servicemen died off duty in less than a month, Defence Minister Mario Banožić said on Tuesday.

"Because of unfortunate incidents that occurred in the Croatian Army, we will invest all our efforts in the further development of programmes to prevent such incidents," the minister said, expressing his deep regret over the deaths of the servicemen.

He did not discuss the circumstances of the deaths.

"Profoundly shaken by the unfortunate incidents that happened recently, I express my deepest condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the Croatian soldiers who passed away. The loss of any member of the Croatian Army is a great loss to the system because it is they who contribute to the development of our Armed Forces," Banožić said, according to a press release from the Ministry

He said that these incidents were in no way connected with the situation in the Armed Forces, and that the Defence Ministry and the Army would do all in their power to ensure that there were as few such incidents as possible.

The Ministry said that servicemen and servicewomen could contact psychologists in their units at all times for counselling.

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ZAGREB, 20 July, 2021 - President Zoran Milanović said on Tuesday there was no causal link between recent deaths in the military.

"There is no causal link between the cases, but there might be a link to some elements of social pathology and disorders which exist within and outside the army," he told the press in Varaždin, adding that he would say what he meant exactly "when some time has passed."

"These things happen, but when something like this happens in the army, it attracts attention and the public raises an eyebrow."

Milanović said deaths in the army were at the level of those in the general population and lower, adding that the recent deaths could not be linked to possible problems in the system.

Asked about soldiers caught using illegal drugs, he said that was a more complex case. "I won't comment. Let's wait for the investigation to be over."

Asked if there was any information that could shed light on the matter, he said, "There is, but I can't talk about it. Their commanders know what they are and I know. As does the Defence Ministry."

He called the whole situation awkward but not shameful. "It's a disgrace and a disaster when soldiers commit war crimes, but the Croatian army didn't do that, only exceptionally and long ago."

Milanović said all armies had problems with soldiers using illegal drugs. "It's good that they have been caught," he added, dismissing claims that the security system was in danger.

Asked if that was not normal behaviour, he said it was not and that it would be punished.

COVID vaccination

Speaking of vaccination against COVID, he said Croatia was neither the worst nor the best. "Once again, I call on everyone, get vaccinated," he said, adding that he doubted threats would work.

Milanović said he was for everything getting back to normal after the tourist season. "This hysteria that is going on, which is spilling over into Croatia from Western countries, is a major stumbling of human intelligence and reason." 

Asked about a constitutional suit filed by the Voice of Entrepreneurs association, which claims that certain businesses were discriminated against during the pandemic, Milanović said it would have been better if the parliamentary majority had been deciding on restrictions because the problems would not have been so extensive.

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ZAGREB, 26 May, 2021 - Defence Minister Mario Banožić said on Wednesday the reintroduction of conscription was being considered and that, although he was sure it was the right move, he felt that Croatian society still had to deal with this subject a lot.

Speaking on Croatian Radio, Banožić said he tried to research the subject in recent months.

He said almost two in three citizens supported mandatory military service, but added that the motive for introducing it was important, and that was security and stability.

Parents are for introducing conscription first and foremost as an educational measure, which is not the right motive, he said.

Croatia needs security, stability and serving one's country as the motive, ideals which are the foundations of the Croatian army, courage and the desire to feel secure and whole, Banožić said.

Croatian society still has to deal with this subject a lot, but reintroducing mandatory military service is the right step, he added.

Asked if there was a road map and when that could be expected, he said that for now the ministry was researching public opinion and how to manage the process because of the sensitive subject.

Especially considering that once you abandon such a model, bringing conscription back is a much tougher challenge, he added.

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ZAGREB, 26 May, 2021 - On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Croatian Army and Croatian Ground Army Day, the Dr Franjo Tuđman Military Academy organised a photo exhibition, with each photo representing one year of the army's existence.

The exhibition may be seen from today until 3 June and from noon to 8 pm every day at the Zagreb Student Centre's French Pavillion, the Defence Ministry said in a press release.

The exhibition will also be shown at the Zagreb National and University Library until 31 May from 8 am to 9 pm on weekdays and from 9 am to 2 pm on Saturday.

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May the 22nd, 2021 - The Croatian military and its export-import balance is set to alter quite significantly following the country finally having made a decision on the purchase of fighter jets, ending a saga which seemed to be endless.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Brnic writes, Croatian military export-import balances are going to undergo changes over the coming years, because after a recent session of the Defense Council, it has now become clear that the Croatian Government will finally make the official final decision on the procurement of a combat squadron next week.

This decision will primarily change the current relationship in which Croatia exports more weapons and other military goods and services than it imports.

Last year, according to a report submitted to the Government by Economy Minister Tomislav Coric yesterday, Croatian military exports in 2020 were worth a total of 835 million kuna, and imports amounted to just under 129 million kuna.

The report doesn't provide a detailed overview of those exporters, nor does it go into deal about the types of goods and services it deals in, but most of the exports relate to HS Produkt, the Karlovac-based arms manufacturer, which normally accounts for the majority of exports, followed by Sestan-Busch, which produces helmets, and Dok-ing, which sells its self-propelled machines for demining, and Viktor Lenac from Rijeka, which was engaged in the overhaul of vessels belonging to the US 6th Fleet.

Last year was significantly better than pre-pandemic 2019, which isn't something many can boast of, and which was otherwise one of the worst for the military industry, in which exports stood at 493 million kuna. The record year for Croatian military exports was 2016 with almost 1.7 billion kuna in exports, twice as much as was recorded last year.

If the government concludes a contract to procure the French Rafale, finally putting an end to the very tiresome story surrounding fighter jet procurement, the first of those planes would start arriving in Croatia during 2024, when, depending on the agreed terms, imports of the military sector are likely to jump by 100 million euros per year.

However, if the military connection between Croatia and France, which is the most militarily powerful member of the EU following the departure of Great Britain, follows, there are justified expectations that additional space will need to be found for the Croatian military industry.

Since Croatian producers, as well as institutes and faculties, are interested in the establishment of the European Defense Fund, which will initially boast of figures of between 5 and 7 billion euros in the coming years, it is more than clear why more and more Croatian producers want to dip their toes into the lucrative niche of military production.

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May 17, 2021 - The Croatian army's Motorised Company was seen off at a barracks in Gospić on Monday, leaving for the NATO-led Operation KFOR in Kosovo as part of the 35th Croatian contingent there, the Defence Ministry said.

The Croatian company will be deployed in Kosovo for six months. It has 99 members, including nine women, and will operate as part of a multinational battalion, led by Italy, together with Austria, Italy, and Slovenia.

Croatia contributing to stability and peace in S-E Europe

Minister Mario Banožić said he was proud that a declared infantry company was being sent to KFOR for the first time, adding that Croatia, as a credible NATO member, directly contributed to stability and peace in Southeast Europe.

"Since we are talking about our immediate environment, our responsibility is bigger and requires of us active engagement and inclusion in the processes underway there. We all know well that there has been a change in the security paradigm and security perception in the whole world, and we are aware that security is not defended only on Croatia's borders but also there where a threat arises."

Banožić said he was confident that with their knowledge and capabilities, the Croatian troops would contribute greatly to creating a stable and safe environment.

"Investing in knowledge and security is investing in stability, prosperity, and the well-being of every member and our country. NATO's Operation KFOR is an ideal opportunity to strengthen security by participating in the international environment and working with the best. We can become faster, better, and readier for responding to all threats put before us."

The military Chief-Of-Staff, Admiral Robert Hranj, told the Croatian troops leaving for Kosovo that the Croatian army's engagement in KFOR showed that it was willing to share the burden and responsibility, contributing to the building of a safer and more stable world, motivated by the experience gained in the 1991-95 Homeland War.

"Our national security neither begins nor ends on the state border but is susceptible to geographically distant processes. That's one reason for the stronger involvement in Operation KFOR, whereby we wish to help build a safer world for all those living in Kosovo, the region, and, indirectly, for us. Our soldiers will perform a wide spectrum of tasks; the company is excellently trained and ready to take its role in KFOR," said Hranj.

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