ZAGREB, January 15, 2019 - The Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader Davor Bernardić said on Tuesday that Defence Minister Damir Krstičević should promptly resign due to "the lies and delusions disseminated in the public about the failed acquisition of fighter jets".

Bernardić thinks that an email that leaked in the media about U.S. embassy having warned the Croatian Defence Ministry in December 2017 that Israel had not obtained approval for the transfer of technology to the third party shows the minister's responsibility for the failed deal. "Resignation due to lies and delusions disseminated by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Krstičević should be done for moral reasons," said Bernardić.

It is true that morality and responsibility cannot go together in the same sentence with the HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union). However, we expect common sense to prevail and the prime minister to take a responsible move, said the leader of the strongest opposition party

In the event that Krstičević does not offer his resignation, the SDP is going to launch the parliamentary procedure for his dismissal, and Bernardić hopes that the opposition parties will join his party in this effort.

He accused the government of trying to reduce the damage and the disgrace in this scandal in a ridiculous way.

The SDP chief referred to the government's decision on Monday to annul its previous tender for the delivery of multipurpose combat aircraft and to define a new model for the procurement of fighter jets for the Armed Forces.

SDP parliamentarian Franko Vidović said that nine months before he already raised the question why the government had opted for acquiring 12 used fighter jets instead of buying 6 new ones.

Leaders of the GLAS party also called for the responsibility of Defence Minister Damir Krstičević over a failed procurement of fighter jets from Israel. GLAS MP Nada Turina Đurić commented on the failed procurement of F-16 Barak fighter jets from Israel, calling for the responsibility of Defence Minister Damir Krstičević, but also claiming that the entire government is responsible.

More news on the defence minister can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, January 14, 2019 - The government on Monday unanimously put out of force a decision on the procurement of Israeli F-16 multipurpose fighter jets. The cabinet meeting was preceded by a session of the Defence Council, where a report on the procurement of the aircraft was presented and the government was recommended to define a new model for the procurement of multipurpose fighter jets for the Armed Forces.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said today that a thorough analysis of all reasons that caused the suspension of the implementation of the deal with Israel would be conducted.

The notification provided by Israel that it could not obtain the approval from the USA for the Third Party Transfer was the main reason why Croatia decided to nullify its previous decision on the acquisition of the planes from Israel, according to Plenković's explanation.

The deal was halted due to disagreement between Israel and the USA following the US objection to the sale of modified F-16 fighter jets to Croatia. The Israeli-US dispute has to do with who owns the technology and intellectual property rights.

Defence Minister Damir Krstičević underscored the political will to maintain the combat capabilities of the Air Force developed during the Homeland War.

Answering questions from the press after meeting his Polish counterpart Mariusz Blaszczak, Krstičević reiterated that during their visit to Zagreb last week Israeli officials had confirmed that they had failed to obtain final approval from the United States for the sale of upgraded F-16 Barak aircraft to Croatia, even though they had preliminary approval for the deal. "It is solely their responsibility," he said.

"The Israelis reiterated once again that the entire process was highly professional and open on the Croatian part and that the people in Croatia showed a high level of responsibility, that we asked all the necessary questions and received all the necessary guarantees in this process," Krstičević said.

"The United States, our strategic partner in defence, emphasised from the outset, including in its latest statement, that it gave full support for the Croatian acquisition of F-16 aircraft from Israel," he added.

Krstičević said that Croatia would launch a new process to procure military aircraft. "We will close this process transparently and, with all this experience and knowledge, we will start a new process which will be the best, so that Croatia will get quality multipurpose aircraft it needs for surveillance of its airspace. This government will certainly do all it can for this to happen," the defence minister said.

More news on the Croatian Air Force can be found in our Politics section.

ZAGREB, January 12, 2019 - Croatian Defence Minister Damir Krstičević on Saturday commented on a complaint filed against him Serbia for war crimes, saying his war past was completely clean but that he was a thorn in the side of many because he was strengthening the victorious Croatian army.

Speaking to reporters in Split, Krstičević said the journey of the 4th guard brigade was one of "pride, honour, heroism." "The Red Berets did everything they should in the Homeland War. I'm extremely happy to have commanded the 4th Brigade."

Belgrade's Politika newspaper said today that Serbian lawyer Dušan Bratić had pressed charges against Krstičević and others on suspicion that they killed 81 Serb civilians in 1995. The paper said Krstičević was the commander of the Croatian army's 4th brigade and that it participated in the shelling of columns of Serb refugees in Bravnice near Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina on 12 and 13 September 1995.

Asked if he thought he would have movement trouble because of the charges, Krstičević said: "Why? Because of which complaint? I don't consider that a complaint. I'm a free man and I honourably defended the homeland. I'm extremely proud of that and one should know that Croatia was subjected to a brutal aggression and I proudly commanded the 4th brigade."

Krstičević said many "want to smear" that brigade and him as its commander. "I repeat, I'm completely clean and innocent."

Asked if he had been at the location near Jajce mentioned in the criminal complaint, he said "it is known where the 4th guard brigade was, and it was liberating Croatia." He said the brigade was not in Bravnice on 12 and 13 September 1995.

The minister said he had no idea why someone was bringing this up, "evidently with the objective to destabilise myself personally (and) this government." He added that he had no reason to defend himself.

Asked if there was a way to respond to the criminal complaint, he said: "The state should respond. As for my response, I'm here, doing my job."

More news on the defence minister can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, January 12, 2019 - Defence Minister Damir Krstičević said on Friday evening that Croatia's security was not in danger and that the tender for the procurement of fighter jets would be formally cancelled next week after the deal with Israel fell through.

"The security of Croatia is not in danger. Croatia is a safe country, it has a strong and respectable military, and we have demonstrated its value. Unlike the opposition, who had the responsibility to resolve this issue, they failed to do so and they put us in a position that now we have to deal with this issue," Krstičević said in an interview with the public broadcaster HTV when asked if the country was in danger as claimed by opposition parties.

He said that earlier in the day he and Armed Forced Chief of Staff Mirko Šundov had met with President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović and informed her of talks with Israel and the state of the Croatian Air Force.

He added that Grabar-Kitarović had convened the Defence Council for Monday to discuss the situation concerning the tender for the procurement of multipurpose combat aircraft and the situation in the Air Force. After that, the government will cancel the tender and will continue searching for the best option for Croatia, the minister said.

Krstičević said that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković had been acquainted with all activities concerning the procurement of aircraft from the outset and that all state institutions and representatives of the opposition had also been involved in the decision-making process. "The representatives of the SDP (Social Democratic Party) unanimously supported this decision, so I'm surprised that they have changed their position and I don't understand it," Krstičević said.

He said he did not feel responsible for the failure of the purchase of Israeli F-16 fighter jets. "I don't consider myself responsible, nor do I consider my associates responsible. In this entire process we did nothing against Croatia's interests and the interests of its citizens."

Krstičević said that the opposition demands for his resignation were legitimate. He recalled that the SDP was in power from 2011 to 2015 and during those four years they had enough time to resolve the issue of the Croatian Air Force.

"Not only did they not resolve it, but an overhaul of the MiG-21s was done in Ukraine and it was done poorly. Those aircraft were supposed to fly 850 hours. They should have been delivered to Croatia in flying condition, but they came on trucks. But unlike them, this government came to grips with this problem right from the start in order to systematically resolve the Croatian Air Force issue," the defence minister said.

Krstičević noted that the Israeli Defence Ministry delegation, who visited Croatia on Thursday, had admitted that it was their responsibility that they had failed to obtain approval from the United States for the sale of the modified F-16 Barak aircraft to Croatia. He stressed that Croatia had done its job very professionally and responsibly, obtaining all the necessary guarantees.

More news on the Ministry of Defence can be found in our Politics section.

ZAGREB, January 11, 2019 – Živi Zid president Ivan Sinčić said on Friday Croatian Defence Minister Damir Krstičević was primarily responsible for the failed purchase of Israeli F-16 fighter jets and should resign, adding that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković was also responsible for "holding the ladder."

Krstičević worked with Israelis in the King ICT company and had to know how this job is done and should not have put Croatia in such an embarrassing situation, Sinčić told reporters.

Asked to comment on President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović decision to convene the Defence Council over the failed aircraft purchase, he said that instead of acting preventively with the personnel and bodies at her disposal, she was convening a meeting when the deal had fallen through.

She is the supreme commander of the armed forces, has personnel and contacts abroad, she was a diplomat, including in the US, she knows many people and should have obtained adequate information and known the protocol of buying fighter jets, and she should have warned the government about the risks and advised against the deal, said Sinčić.

He also commented on the fact that Croatian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Ivan Del Vechio and the president of the HDZ BiH Bosnian Croat party, Dragan Čović, had recently attended a ceremony marking the unconstitutionally declared day of BiH's Serb entity Republika Srpska.

Sinčić said the policy of Croatia's ruling HDZ party regarding BiH was a wrong and hypocritical policy of cooperation with someone one should not cooperate with.

Živi Zid MP Ivan Pernar said Čović had formed an alliance with Milorad Dodik, the incumbent chairman of the BiH Presidency, who Pernar said was not a Croatian ally and had given his consent to a BiH lawsuit against Croatia. He said attending a ceremony marking the day of an entity created on the disappearance of Croats from northern BiH said more than enough about the HDZ's love for Croats in BiH.

More news on the Živi Zid party can be found in our Politics section.

ZAGREB, January 4, 2019 - Defence Minister Damir Krstičević said on Thursday it was Israel's responsibility to secure final permission from the US for Croatia to sign a contract on the purchase of F-16 Barak fighter jets, adding that neither he nor his team had done anything against Croatia's interests.

"Regarding responsibility, I think that neither I nor my team, with any action, have done something against Croatia's interests," Krstičević told reporters when asked if he still had Prime Minister Andrej Plenković's confidence.

Krstičević said he was willing to step down any time if his resignation would help Croatia in the purchase of the multipurpose fighter jets.

He said it was Israel's responsibility to secure final permission so Croatia could sign the contract. "How could I have known? They put in the papers and all the documents that it's their responsibility. Should I now be responsible for the action of a third party?" he said, adding that he was willing to resign.

Asked to comment on Plenković's statement that it was necessary to establish responsibility and examine details before adopting decisions, Krstičević said he agreed that, after this process was over, it was necessary to make analyses, see which lessons were learned and review all the circumstances.

"I believe that after this, the government, with me or someone else in it, will continue to look for a solution. Croatian pilots and Croatia's skies deserve multipurpose fighter jets. Sooner or later these planes, whether new or old, will be in Croatia. I believe this process has contributed to that."

Krstičević said that after receiving a more thorough statement from Israel, he would inform the public. He recalled that as the seller, Israel undertook the obligation to obtain the US administration's approval for the transfer of the fighter jets to Croatia. "That's solely Israel's obligation."

More news on the Croatian military can be found in our Politics section.

ZAGREB, December 9, 2018 - Defence Minister Damir Krstičević has said that Croatia will not pay any additional costs for the purchase of 12 F-16 fighter jets from Israel after the U.S. insistence that Israel must comply with the technical criteria Washington set in order to okay Croatia’s fighter jet purchase from Israel.

The planes, which are the subject matter of the procurement deal and which were produced by the U.S. Lockheed Martin, have subsequently got sophisticated electronic systems which Israel has added to them, and Washington now insists that they should be reversed to the previous form.

Israeli media have reported that US Secretary of Defence James Mattis is not allowing Israel to sell 12 F-16 fighter jets to Croatia. The US administration must give its consent to the country to which it has sold its planes if that country wants to sell them to a third country.

Asked by the press on Saturday whether Israel or Croatia would cover the costs of those planned technical changes, Minister Krstičević said that there were no additional costs for his country. "The tender is clear. The tender has been transparent and in line with laws. We know what we have asked for. The bids were opened publicly. The price is known. As far as Croatian is concerned, there are no additional costs," Krstičević said after attending a gathering of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) youth association's meeting.

Asked whether he would resign in the event that this deal failed, the minister said that he would not answer hypothetical questions.

He went on to say that Croatia was given the documentation showing that the U.S. Administration allowed Israel to offer its F-16 planes to Croatia.

On Friday, when the news broke out about the complications in the delivery of the fighter jets over the U.S. requirements set to Israel, Krstičević recalled that the U.S. government had given Israel permission to offer the Israeli F-16 jets to Croatia. "We have a document to that effect. In its bid, Israel undertook to deliver to Croatia aircraft that is compatible with NATO and obliged itself to ensure that the extension of the planes' service life complies with the original manufacturer's criteria. Delivery, too, is the responsibility of the State of Israel. Based on those documents and the tender, we made the decision on the purchase of the multipurpose fighter jets and the process was legal and transparent," Krstičević said yesterday.

In late March, the Croatian government unanimously adopted a decision to buy 12 F-16 C/D Barak jets that were about 30 years old. Croatia is supposed to pay 2.9 billion kuna for the planes over a period of ten years.

More news on the Croatian military can be found in our dedicated section.

A gift from the other side of the Atlantic.

Zadar is set to play an extremely important defense role, with operations expected to begin next year.

ZAGREB, July 3, 2018 - On the second day of his official visit to Israel, Croatian Defence Minister Damir Krstičević visited Ramat David Airbase in the north of the country, saying that it was very important that the Israelis share their valuable knowledge and experience with Croatian pilots and aircraft repair and maintenance personnel, the Defence Ministry said in a statement on Monday evening.