ZAGREB, 9 April 2022 - Croatia's President and Armed Forces Supreme Commander Zoran Milanović on Saturday attended the military exercise "Shield 22", taking place on the "Croatian Army 119th Brigade" training ground at Cape Kamenjak in Premantura near Pula, the Office of the President said in a statement.

Participating in the combat shooting exercise were members of Croatian and US armed forces.

The purpose of the exercise was the demonstrate the capabilities of air defence units in detecting, tracking and shooting down targets in airspace.

The exercise is taking place from 4 to 13 April. It has been held regularly for 27 years and this year US army members joined in for the first time.

The exercise was also attended by Croatian Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff Admiral Robert Hranj, the Croatian Army Commander, General Boris Šerić, and other military officials, President Milanović's advisor on defence and national security, Dragan Lozančić, as well as representatives of the US army.

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, 31 March 2022 - According to NATO estimates, Croatia last year met the target the allies set for investing at least 2% of GDP in defence and significantly surpassed the target of earmarking at least 20% of the defence budget for equipment.

Last year's purchase of fighter jets significantly increased Croatia's defence budget.

According to a report presented by Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday, NATO estimates that last year Croatia increased its defence budget to 2.16% of GDP from 1.71% in 2020 and that 30.6% of its defence outlays were earmarked for equipment.

NATO member states committed in 2014 to increase their defence budgets to at least 2% of GDP by 2024 and to set aside at least 20% of the defence outlays for military equipment.

Greece earmarked the most for the defence last year, 3.59% of GDP, followed by the United States (3.57%) Poland (2.34%), the UK (2.25%) and Croatia, Estonia and Latvia (2.16% each).

The allies which earmarked the least for defence were Slovenia (1.22%), Belgium (1.07%), Spain (1.03%) and Luxembourg (0.54%).

Greece also set aside the most for military equipment, investing 38.8% of its military budget, followed by Luxembourg (38.2%), Hungary (37.2%), Poland (33%), Turkey (30.7%), Croatia (30.6%), and the US (29.4%).

The allies which set aside the least for military equipment in their defence budgets were Albania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Canada, Portugal and Germany, ranging from 14.9 to 18.6%.

2/3 of Croats for NATO

Last year NATO commissioned a public opinion poll on its perception which shows that 67% of Croats were for membership in NATO, 13% were against, while the rest did not know.

NATO has the highest support in Poland (84%), Albania and Lithuania (82% each), and Romania and Portugal (79% each), while support is lowest in Slovakia (46%), Montenegro and France (50% each).

7 in 10 Croats believe NATO membership reduces the likelihood of a third country's attack

Sixty-nine per cent of Croats believe that membership reduces the likelihood of a third country's attack.

This percentage is highest in Lithuania (76%) and lowest in the US (42%).

Politics: For more, check out our politics section.

14 March 2022 - PM Andrej Plenković said on Monday the unmanned aerial vehicle that had flown in from Ukraine and crashed in Zagreb last Thursday carried explosive, a sort of bomb, and the ongoing investigation was aimed at establishing who had launched the drone and how, and if it had been a mistake, sabotage or plan.

Speaking to reporters after a session of his HDZ party leadership, Plenković thus corroborated claims previously presented by Defence Minister Mario Banožić.

"We held a meeting today with all the relevant bodies that are together investigating what happened. We have obtained preliminary information on the type of the military drone in question. For the sake of informing the public, I want to say that what Minister Banožić has said is true, the drone carried explosive, a sort of bomb. The investigation will determine the exact type."

Plenković stressed that "the information published so far by numerous experts is wrong."

"What is correct is that the drone carried explosive. The good thing is that there were no serious consequences, there were no casualties," he said.

The ongoing investigation is aimed at determining who had launched the drone towards Croatia and how, he said.

"Was it a mistake, sabotage or plan? We do not have answers to those questions and we are looking for them together with our partners and allies, with the other countries over whose territory the drone flew," the PM said. 

The drone, a Soviet-made Tupolev Tu-141 Strizh, crashed near a student dorm in the Jarun district of southwest Zagreb shortly after 11 pm on Thursday, damaging about 40 cars in a nearby car park. No one was hurt.

It came from Ukraine, flying over Romania and Hungary, both NATO members, at a speed of 700 km/h at an altitude of 1,300 m, before entering Croatia's air space and crashing down in Zagreb.

ZAGREB, 10 Feb 2022 - The government has allowed the USS Harry S. Truman nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to sail into Croatian waters and stay in Split port from 11 to 15 February, with Defence Minister Mario Banožić underlining the good cooperation with the United States allies and partners.

"It's a routine visit for logistical replenishment and for the crew to rest," he said at a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

Before the meeting, the minister told the press he would visit the ship on the 14th.

It will be an opportunity for talks with our American allies, partners, for a strong support which will be reaffirmed also in that way, he said.

The cooperation with the US Navy is intensive, Banožić said, recalling that its ships are overhauled in Croatia's Viktor Lenac shipyard.

The US Embassy sent a note to the Croatian Foreign Ministry requesting permission for the USS Harry S. Truman to enter Croatian waters. The government granted it under the Maritime Code.

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, 10 Feb 2022 - Croatian Defence Minister Mario Banožić and Israeli Ambassador Ilan Mor on Thursday praised the military cooperation between Croatia and Israel, the Defence Ministry said in a press release.

Banožić spoke of technical cooperation in equipping and modernising the Croatian armed forces, participation in courses and conferences, and cooperation in firefighting efforts.

Banožić expressed satisfaction with the defence cooperation and said he was confident that the two countries would intensify their future cooperation to their mutual benefit.

Mor thanked the Ministry for its support in organising the first Lightning of the Heavens memorial march in Croatia, when Israeli paratroopers commemorated Hannah Szenes on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Israeli national heroine.

Szenes participated in World War II as a member of the allied forces. She was arrested by Hungarian gendarmes near the northwestern Croatian town of Čakovec during her attempt to infiltrate Hungary and rescue Jewish people. She was eventually tried and executed by firing squad.

(Hina) vm

ZAGREB, 4 Aug, 2021 - President Zoran Milanović said on Wednesday that the fact that some of the army generals will not attend the Victory Day celebration in Knin is not a boycott, but that they received invitations too late.

Who has announced a boycott? Ljubo Ćesić Rojs has not. Josip Đakić is not a general, he is a bum, and a member of parliament, in other words he is nobody. Rojs will be there, Pavao Miljavac will be there and Ante Kotromanović will be there. Of course, not everyone can come every year, but most  people will be there," Milanović said during a visit to the southern town of Sinj.

He said he did not think there was any pressure on some of the generals by the Defence Ministry "because no one can exert pressure on those people," but noted that some of the generals and commanders were put in an awkward position because they received the invitation the day before the event, which was the ministry's responsibility.

During the visit, Milanović conferred high state medals on retired Brigadier Dušan Viro and posthumously on Franciscan Frane Bilokapić for their acts of humanity during the 1991-1995 Homeland War.

He said he did not consider the decoration of General Mladen Kruljac disputable even though he had been found guilty of corruption. "He is a war commander and is decorated what he did in the war. No one is perfect, but what he did in the war is without a doubt impeccable, and he is not the only one."

Judge Dobronić is my candidate for Supreme Court President

Answering questions from the press, Milanović confirmed that 61-year-old Judge Radovan Dobronić is his candidate for the position of Supreme Court President.

He has responded to the call for applications and "now we will see what will those who undermined, torpedoed and dishonoured my previous candidate do," Milanović said, describing Dobronić as smart, educated, honourable and incorruptible.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

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.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

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.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page

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.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page

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.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.