ZAGREB, 27 April, 2021 - President Zoran Milanović said on Tuesday that he was considering not having the army participate in the coming commemoration of the 1995 military and police operation "Flash" in Okučani, to protect it from politicking, and that he would discuss the matter with Defence Minister Mario Banožić.

"A situation where soldiers have to stand for hours while politicians and government officials successively lay wreaths to comply with epidemiological measures puts in an awkward position the Army Chief of Staff as well as the commander of the land army who, if they do not want to offend anyone, have to be on duty... after arriving with me, they have to wait for (PM Andrej) Plenković, then, I guess, also for (Parliament Speaker Gordan) Jandroković," said Milanović, who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

"So I'm thinking about telling them to stay home, to simply protect them from any politicking... I will talk with the minister," said Milanović while visiting the Gašinci military grounds.

Milanović said that he did not see anything contentious about the fact that on Monday, at a reception he gave for retired officers and wartime commanders of the Croatian Defence Force (HVO) of Bosnia and Herzegovina, he also met with retired HVO general Tihomir Blaškić, who was in the HVO delegation. 

Blaškić was convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and served a nine-year prison sentence for the cruel and inhumane treatment of Bosniak civilians and POWs from 1992 to 1994.

"Had Blaškić been responsible for something that, let's say Ratko Mladić was responsible for, I would not have received him," he said.

He announced that he would also receive General Milivoj Petković when he is released from prison "because he isn't a war criminal."

The convictions against Blaškić and Petković were political convictions, he added.

The ICTY convicted Petković of crimes committed in 1993 against Bosniaks in the territory that was under the control of the Croat authorities of Herceg-Bosna

Asked if he would attend a ceremony marking the anniversary of the establishment of the 4th Guards Brigade in Split, Milanović said that he would attend the ceremony in Knin.

"I'm going to Knin, not Split, that brigade is in Knin and the army will conduct such events in barracks," the president said.

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ZAGREB, 1 April, 2021 - On the occasion of the 12th anniversary of Croatia's admission to NATO, Defence Minister Mario Banožić stated on Thursday that his country proved to be a trustworthy and reliable ally and partner.

"Over these 12 years since it became a full member of NATO, Croatia has proven to be a trustworthy and reliable ally and partner," the minister said in his message on the occasion of the 12th anniversary of Croatia's entry into the alliance.

Croatia participates actively and on an equal footing in the alliance's decision-making and its troops, together with troops from other member states, contribute to peace-building efforts worldwide, the minister said.

He recalled that membership of NATO was one of the two most important objectives in Croatia's foreign policy.

 "Croatia has thus become part of the strongest military and political alliance in the history of humankind. Therefore, Croatia's security and stability is guaranteed not only by its own army but also by the armed forces of friendly countries from the NATO alliance," Banožić said recalling that the journey to the full membership had been difficult and demanding after Croatia had won the war which had been imposed on it and after it had to develop its own armed forces.

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ZAGREB, 4 March, 2021 - The government on Thursday endorsed a bill on the establishment of a defence and security university which will be sent to parliament, with Defence Minister Mario Banožić saying the university would produce leaders for the Croatian army and other components of the homeland security system.

"In the year when the Croatian army is marking its 30th anniversary, a legislative framework is being created to transform the Croatian Military Academy into the University of Defence and Security, which is of special state interest," Banožić said, according to a ministry press release.

The university will facilitate the development of a teaching staff for military, defense, security and intelligence sciences and skills, and it will also be able to apply for EU funding, Banožić said, adding that the university would also develop and conduct scientific research in support of military, defense, security and intelligence activities.

"Working together, we will create an organisation which will be ready to produce leaders for the Croatian army and other components of the homeland security system," said the minister.

ZAGREB, October 31, 2020 - Defence Minister Mario Banozic on Saturday laid a wreath and lit a candle at the Homeland War Victims Memorial Cemetery in Vukovar on the occasion of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.

He also paid his respects to the victims at the Ovcara memorial and in Bogdanovci.

Banozic said it was with pride and dignity that he was paying his respects to the defenders and all those who gave their lives for free and democratic Croatia as well as to the suffering of Vukovar in the Homeland War.

"Vukovar meant everything for Croatia and today it is a symbol of the heroism and resistance in the Homeland War. We are paying deep respects to the victims of Vukovar as well as the victims of Bogdanovci who gave an immense contribution to the creation of peace and freedom in Croatia. In thought, we are with the families of the killed, missing and dead Croatian defenders. Once again, an immense thank-you for all you did," the minister said.

He was joined by War Veterans Minister Tomo Medved, representatives of the Interior Ministry, the army and Vukovar-Srijem County, and the last commander of Vukovar's defence, Branko Borkovic, the Defence Ministry said in a press release.

ZAGREB, October 4, 2020 - Defence Minister Mario Banozic said on Sunday that all four offers of fighter jets were equal for now, and that a lot of technical issues needed to be addressed before the financial aspect.

Groups of experts are studying the details of the offers which include not just multi-purpose fighter aircraft but also weapons systems, flight simulators and further training of pilots and technical personnel, Banozic said in response to questions form the press during a traditional military pilgrimage to the Marian shrine of Marija Bistrica, northwest of Zagreb.

There are a lot of technical issues that need to be addressed before the financial aspect, after which comes external diplomacy, the defence minister said.

Banozic said in mid-September that December 12 was the deadline for the interdepartmental commission on the purchase of aircraft to recommend which offer should be chosen. He said that the commission would hold one-on-one talks with each bidder and that there were different elements that would be crucial for the final decision, such as the number of flight simulators, the weapons package, pilot training, the repayment plan and cooperation between the countries. He also said he expected the bidders to lower their asking price.

Croatia is buying 12 fighter jets and has received four offers. The United States is offering the new F-16 Block 70, Sweden is offering the new Gripen C/D model, while France and Israel are offering used aircraft - Rafale and F-16 Block 30 respectively.

ZAGREB, Sept 14, 2020  - The interdepartmental aircraft purchase commission will recommend the best bid by December 12, Defense Minister Mario Banozic said on Sunday evening.

"Given that the bids were submitted to the Defence Ministry on September 9 and we have three months, it is easy to calculate that (the deadline) is December 12. In these three months the interdepartmental commission will evaluate all the bids," Banozic said in an interview with the public television service HTV when asked when a decision would be made on which fighter jets Croatia would buy.

"December 12 is the deadline that we have set," the minister said.

He noted that the best bid may not be final, adding that the commission would talk to each bidder. There are various elements that will be decisive, such as the number of flight simulators, the weapons package, pilot training, the payment plan, and cooperation between the states, and the bidders are also expected to reduce the amount of the initial offer, he said.

Banozic said that Croatia should avoid a situation in which other countries would guard its skies. "Croatia should definitely avoid that because it will not be for free. If we leave it to Hungary or Italy, which are mentioned as one of the solutions, we will pay for it, but that money will go to another country."

Milanovic's statement was unfair

Banozic said that it was unfair of President Zoran Milanovic to say that American aircraft should be the first choice because no one from the President's Office is a member of the interdepartmental commission.

"The decision not to be on the commission reduces their responsibility and allows them to speak in public as they now do. And even this, in my opinion, is a form of lobbying and cheering for one of the bids, which in my opinion is unfair," the defense minister said.

"The commission is the place to present one's views. One should be very responsible and not present incorrect solutions to the media. One should not try to curry favor with countries involved in the tender, but should clearly stand behind the offer and support a comprehensive, unanimous solution that will be a credit to the Croatian army and the citizens of Croatia," he added.

Banozic confirmed that there had already been pressure from certain lobbies, saying that a few days before the submission of bids there was news of "a fake offer that will be the best of all," adding that this strategy of misinformation through the media and social networks was well known.

"I think it will intensify as the decision date draws near. But I am sure that if we as members of the commission take a clear and honest approach as we did in putting together the tender, the result will be good for all - for the Croatian army and the citizens of Croatia," the minister said.

Speaking of the impact of the corona crisis on the defense budget, Banozic said that the budget had been cut by HRK 500 million from last year's HRK 5.1 billion to make savings, adding that the number of staff would be reduced by about 20 percent or 200-250 people. He said that the downsizing would be carried out through job reclassification and retirement of staff in consultation with the trade union. 

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September 10, 2020 - As reported by Index.hr, in the first parliamentary reading, the Government said that Croatia would get a new university, the University of Defense and Security 'Dr. Franjo Tudjman', to perform activities of higher education, scientific, professional, and other activities for the needs of the defense system and the homeland security system.

According to the bill, which was sent to the Parliament from the Government session on Thursday, the Croatian Military Academy 'Dr. Franjo Tudjman' becomes a University to which already established study programs and accredited university studies in Zagreb and Split will be transferred, will conduct a postgraduate university specialist study of homeland security, and the Ministry of Defense will perform the rights and duties of the founders.

Minister of Defense Mario Banožić pointed out that the transformation to a university 'Dr. Franjo Tudjman' is of special state interest, and the law provides key conditions for the development of the Croatian Army's capabilities and military skills as a science.

'The University will enable the development of scientific and teaching staff for the interdisciplinary field of science in the field of military-defense and security-intelligence sciences and skills, and will be able to apply for EU funds, which has not been possible so far' he stressed.

We must strive for the highest quality education system and thus contribute to the development of the Croatian Army by creating a staff that will gain all the necessary breadth for quality leadership and management to execute tasks, the minister added.

'The university will enable a stronger affirmation of the Croatian Army on the international scene,' he pointed out.

The university will be organized like other public universities in Croatia. It will also have certain specifics, and the law in the field of defense will be applied to it while respecting the constitutional provision on university autonomy.

Poor placement of Croatian universities in the world

Croatian universities are not doing well in the world rankings.

Times Higher Education published a ranking of the best universities for 2021, according to which the University of Oxford is again the best in the world, while the University of Split is in the 801-1000 position and the University of Zagreb in the 1001+ position.

The ranking includes more than 1,500 universities from 93 countries, the highest so far. The list is based on 13 performance indicators in four areas: teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and an international perspective.

Compared to the list for 2020, the University of Split has fallen on the list. At that time, it had a position of 601–800, and now it is in the position of 801–1000. Nevertheless, the University of Split is the best positioned Croatian university. The University of Zagreb remained in the same position, below the top 1,000.

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ZAGREB, Sept 9, 2020 - The Defence Ministry is receiving offers for the fighter jets from 9 am to 11.30 am today, which will be followed by a three-month evaluation period before a final proposal is addressed to the government, Defence Minister Mario Banozic told the press outside the government offices on Wednesday.

Asked whether the public would be informed of the details of the offers, he replied in the negative, adding that the offers would go through a three-month process of evaluation based on which a proposal would be made for the government.

A final decision on the best offer will be ready for the government by the end of the year, Banozic said.

He said that initial offers for the fighter jets had been requested from the United States for new F-16 aircraft and from Sweden for Gripen aircraft. Offers were also requested for used European-made aircraft, including Italy's Eurofighter and France's Rafale, as well as for used F-16s from Norway, Greece, and Israel.

Banozic said it was difficult for him to say how much the aircraft would cost because that depended on the offers. He confirmed that Croatia was buying 12 aircraft.

Asked to comment on the decision by the President's Office not to take part in the work of the interdepartmental commission on the purchase of the aircraft, the minister said: "The president and I have regular briefings, I had one yesterday, we work together. He himself said that this decision rests with the government, but I think that this is important for all of us, for our security, and it must be a single decision."

The President's Office has said that it will not have a representative on the commission, but the president will take part in a political decision on the purchase of military aircraft in accordance with his constitutional powers.

The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) said in a statement that representatives of FMV and the Swedish Embassy in Croatia had submitted an offer this morning, which includes new Gripen C/D aircraft and a package of logistical support and training for Croatian Air Force pilots and technicians.

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ZAGREB, Sept 2, 2020 - Defence Minister Mario Banozic said on Wednesday that according to his information President's visit to Albania was official and dismissed remarks that the ministry was keeping mum about the case.

"From what has been given to me in writing, it was an official trip, and the Conflict of Interest Commission will establish... if it was a private or an official visit," Banozic told the press in Split.

He said the media interpreted his recent statement about the president's visit to Albania flippantly. He explained that he was stating the rights which the president and Armed Forces commander in chief had in using military resources under the Defence Act.

Banozic said that in his statement he pointed to the amount that was paid because the expenses for the use of those resources were covered by the Defence Ministry, not the president's office and that he would always comment on that. He added that it was not true that the ministry was keeping quiet about it.

Banozic said the ministry did not participate in organizing the president's trips and that they were organized by the president's office in cooperation with its services.

He said the Armed Forces received a request, under the Defence Act, based on which he, as a minister, gave his consent for diplomatic or ceremonial purposes.

Banozic said he did not have the legal grounds not to consent to the use of the military and that any questions about this case should be put to the president's office.

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ZAGREB, Sept 2, 2020 - Defence Minister Mario Banozic on Wednesday denied information published on the Obris.org website about the US company ProAero having submitted an official bid to procure 12 used F-16 jets for the Croatian Air Force in the amount of US$ 140-170 million, saying that bids would be submitted next week.

"There has been no official bid, offers will be submitted on September 9 and they will be submitted... by those who have been informed accordingly. Among the bidders is the United States with the new F-16 jets and Sweden with new Gripen jets," Banozic said during a visit to Split.

Among the bids are also used European-made jets from France and Italy, the Rafal and the Eurofighter, the minister said, noting that bids for used F-16 planes had also been invited from Israel, Greece, and Norway.

The story about the purchase of used US F-16 fighter jets appeared "on a portal where certain self-proclaimed military analysts" have made the offer public, he said.

"All those who have carried incorrect information from that portal could have seen that the portal features a company that is one of the said bidders and that advertises itself on the portal," he said.

Neither the date nor the supplier suit us, nor is this a binding offer, the minister said, adding that going public with the information was a thoughtless act that misinformed the public.

Asked if Croatia preferred the US offer, he said that when bids were submitted, a decision would be made based on a set of parameters.

"Naturally the final decision will be one between two countries, and it will be a political decision. A commission comprising people from the Defence Ministry, the Armed Forces, and other departments will put forward a proposal to the government, which will confirm the decision at a session," said Banozic.

The Obris.org portal has said that the US company ProAero is offering Croatia a squadron consisting of 12 used F-16 jets at a price between US$ 140 and 170 million, while 30 such fighter jets would cost between $399 and 424 million.

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